


The Click

by slof



Series: The Click [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: AU, Acting, Actor - Freeform, Aged-Up Character(s), Bokuaka - Freeform, Cute, Fluff, Gay, Haikyuu - Freeform, How Do I Tag, LGBT, M/M, No Smut, Oikawa is a flustered mess, Part 1, Photographer Bokuto Koutarou, Photography, Slow Burn, Small dates, Sugawara Koushi is a Little Shit, Totally forgot to add Kenkuroo and Daisuga, Who the fuck can tag properly, iwaoi - Freeform, mentions of sex tho, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-12-12 05:34:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20996378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slof/pseuds/slof
Summary: Keiji Akaashi, a famous actor who lives in New York.Koutarou Bokuto, a simple Instagram photographer who travels around quite frequently.They meet by accident. Koutarou is taking random pictures on the street, and he ends up snapping a photo of Keiji. So, like any person would do, Koutarou shows him the photo. At first, Keiji thinks he's a fan running up to him, but he's not.There's this spark to Koutarou's love for the simple looking photograph he captured of Keiji that the actor, for some reason, is drawn to.A simple click turns into love story between two opposites--two who seem like they would never be together.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> [PLEASE READ}
> 
> Obviously, Bokuaka and Iwaoi are in this story, but the tag "slow burn" only actually goes for Iwaoi. I plan on a book two for this story already since I only start publishing stories when I'm completely done with them or almost done with them (this is a new account so you guys wouldn't know that but I posted Boku no Hero before on a different account). 
> 
> It's just so that I don't start posting something and then never post again 'cause I would hate to disappoint people who really like the story and don't hear from it for weeks. 
> 
> Originally, I have the Daichi and Sugawara (Daisuga) tag for ships in this story because that /is/ a planned ship in this story, but I realized they never fucking interact in this first part.
> 
> I am sorry about that.
> 
> Book 2 will definitely have them meeting and getting together though, I promise.
> 
> Around 27k words in total. 12 chapters.
> 
> I put dates in stories simply because I feel as if it makes things easier to follow along with especially if the characters in the story are making planned events with each other. I feel like I would easily fuck something up and it wouldn't make sense.
> 
> Also like, seasonal times. Like it's winter in the story, really. 
> 
> It starts off in November of 2019 and (Part 1) ends in February 2020 'cause we in the future now, bitch.
> 
> Keep in mind, I don't know how shit works. Oikawa and Akaashi work with a company, and I set it up in a way that I thought was easy to understand? It could be how it is in the real world, it could not be. Who cares though cause we're in this for the plot and the plot is Bokuaka.
> 
> Anyway, this is my first time posting a Haikyuu fic, so, I hope you enjoy!

**Chap. 1 **

**November 12th, 2019 **

Keiji Akaashi didn’t have the simple life that everyone dreamed of. He only had about part of that. 

Celebrity actor.

Damn, was it hard? Everyone’s eyes were always on you, your face was on the news a good portion of the time, if someone recognizes you on the street then you better pray to have some type of bodyguard.

Being a celebrity wasn’t fucking easy, and Keiji only wishes that it was. 

Since most people around New York knew his face, Keiji would have to dress hidden from the public to avoid any type of fan running up to him wanting a picture, his autograph, his hand in marriage, et cetera.

So, he wore a black hoodie with the hood up and sunglasses, a medical mask and dark blue jeans that he could bury his hands deep into the pockets. All of that to stay hidden.

Keiji lived in a mildly busy part of New York. Usually, there were very little cars and people passing by, and Keiji loved that. He hated being around so many people. On his way to his normal building he would meet up in, Keiji walked down the sidewalk, of course, seeing only a car every few seconds (which really was a change in cars if you knew how many people there were on the other side of town). His work was with a company he signed up to work with and had been working with for about the past year or so. 

Today was a meeting with producers, directors, actors, managers--you name it. There was going to be at least one of each there wanting to discuss a new movie idea.

_ Click _ . 

“Hey, sir! You!” Pretty much at anyone calling anybody out, Keiji would look in that direction. His disguises were pretty Kosher, so he wasn’t actually expecting the voice to be for him, yet it was.  A man with spikey, white and black--Keiji thought it was very oddly colored--hair and a bright smile on his face ran up to Keiji.

_ ‘Great. Another fan.’  _ Keiji thought.  _ ‘How the hell did he notice me?’  _

The man looked Keiji up and down. It seemed he was studying him--and with this look as if he were a scientist checking out a new species. Keiji noticed that he held onto this pretty expensive looking camera with two hands even though it was clearly safe with the strap around his neck.

“I might have accidentally gotten this photo of you,” the man said once he had snapped out of his small faze. He either snapped out of his faze or had fully finished accessing Keiji. “It looks really good!” He showed Keiji the photo. “Are you a model or something?”

“What? No.”

“Really? That’s shocking. Your frame, build--It’s perfect! You’d look amazing standing in front of like Lady Liberty or--or by Central Park--or another one of those famous ones, I can’t remember, or by the water or the ocean even,” he rambled. “I mean, this photo is one of the best I’ve taken. It’s so  _ perfect _ and  _ natural _ .” The man stared down at the photo. It seemed like he was gonna start drooling over it at any second.

And for some reason, Keiji was swoon. This excited idiot that came up to Keiji on the street was excited over a simple photo. It looked like  _ every  _ photo of Keiji he had ever seen of himself except for the way that he was dressed.

“Hey, you don’t think you could model for me?” Keiji’s phone buzzed in his pocket, yet he didn’t pull it out. Usually, he’d use it as an excuse to get away from a stranger talking to him on the street, but for some reason, he didn’t want to.

“I’m--” Keiji didn’t really know how to respond. He had a schedule, a job--he was usually busy most of the time. Though there was something about this guy that Keiji just didn’t want to let slip through his fingers, and in the city of New York, anyone could be anything. This guy could be the world’s best photographer and Keiji was just going to let that opportunity go?

Hell no, he wasn’t.

“Sure,” Keiji agreed. Phone buzzed again.

“The uhh--” The man thought for a little bit, looking up at the sky in thought as if the answer would come from the sky or the tail of an airplane. “The twentieth! We meet up here on the twentieth.”

“Deal.” Keiji didn’t even  _ think  _ to even picture his schedule in his mind. He had  _ no _ idea what he had planned on doing that day. Well, if there was something too important there, he could always have someone meet up with the man for him and set up another date--one where he would actually be free.

Keiji’s phone buzzed once again.

“Hey, idiot!” A guy with the craziest bedhead that Keiji had ever seen made his way over. He grabbed on the guy’s arm and tugged on it. Before he said another thing though, the black-haired, permanent-bedhead stared at Keiji for a few seconds, looking him up and down just in a different way than the other guy did. This guy was trying to figure out  _ who _ he was and  _ not _ do a complete evaluation of his frame and build. “We have to go. Iwaizumi’s gonna get pissed.” 

“Shit, yeah. Sorry, Kuroo.” The guy started backing up as the other one started dragging him back down the street. “Hey, at six work?” Keiji nodded in response and watched as the two complete strangers walked away.

Keiji’s phone buzzed for the last time until he checked on it. He picked up his feet finally and began to walk, hand moving to his back pocket to pull out the iPhone. There was a sigh that came from his lips when Keiji saw the text notification on his lock screen.

** _✢Tooru♡: _ ** _ Akaashi, where the hell are you? _

Before Keiji even attempted to open that message and deal with his well-pissed off manager, he opened the calendar app to slip that time and date in before he had the chance to forget.

_ ‘November 20th. Six o’clock _ . _ ’ _

What’s already planned for that date?

_ ‘Day off. Hang out with Oikawa.’ _

So, now Keiji had to deal with the pissed off Tooru because he wasn’t answering his texts and also proceed to ask him if he can cancel out on him. _That_ is gonna go splendidly.

_ I’m on my way to the meeting right now, Oikawa _

** _✢Tooru♡: _ ** _ Get your ass over here now. The meeting is about to start _

_ I’m coming _

Keiji slid his phone in his pocket as he walked to the all too familiar building. A huge white building with more windows than Keiji could start to count.

He almost wanted to turn around and go home when the building was in view. Just the look alone of it gave him anxiety.

Well, it was that _and_ who was standing at the front door. There stood Tooru. He wore this bright blue suit jacket with white pants. It  _ really _ made him stand out, but on the other hand, he really pulled it off. He had his arms crossed with his finger quickly tapping his elbow.

Keiji walked up to Tooru. He was thankful his eyes couldn’t make eye contact through the dark shades. There was this glare in his eyes that always made Keiji feel like he  _ really _ did something wrong. Like a dog that had gotten up on the table. 

“Let’s go. They’re waiting.”

Keiji nodded, and they headed into the building. The receptionist saw Tooru and nodded with a smile, and Keiji and Tooru passed, heading down the long, white hallway to the room where the meeting was being held. As Keiji walked, he took off the medical mask and sunglasses. Tooru held his hand out and took them so Keiji could pull the hoodie over his head. 

Keiji and Tooru stopped at the door the meeting was held.

“Kindaichi, come here,” Tooru yelled down the hallway. Kindachi’s head popped up from the clipboard he stared down at, and he hustled over. 

“Yes, Mr. Oikawa?”

“Here, take these to my office, would you?” He asked as he handed him the things Keiji had just handed off to him, and then he grabbed the hoodie from Keiji and handed that off to him.  Kindachi nodded and left down the hallway.

“You could be nicer, Oikawa,” Keiji mumbled. Tooru had his hands fixing the collar of Keiji’s dark blue suit jacket, running his hands down it to smooth down the wrinkles. 

“I was nice. Plus, he loves working for me. I’m popular, after all,” Tooru replies with a smirk on his face.

“Well, you’re a good manager.”

“I’d be a better manager if I could have my client show up on time.” Tooru placed his hand on Keiji’s back while the other reached for the door handle. “Let’s go.” 

“Oikawa, Akaashi, you’re here,” one of the men who wore a black suit and an orange tie said. He stood from the long, rectangular table in the center of the room and made his way in front of the two, holding out a hand.

“Sorry we were late, Daichi,” Tooru said. They shook hands, firm. It was more like this staredown between the two like they were rivals which didn’t make any sense. Whenever they hung out outside of work, the two acted perfectly. “Akaashi was messing around on his way here.”

“Sorry,” Keiji apologized, but Daichi shook his head.

“No need to say sorry. It’s fine. Should we start?” Tooru and Keiji nodded, and with that, the meeting began. 

Daichi and a few others that Keiji could name--though he didn’t want to waste his energy on naming--sat across from both Tooru and Keiji. Tooru and Keiji were the only people sitting on their side of the table.

“So, what ideas for a movie do we have?” Daichi asked. He had his arms leaned on the table, fingers clasped together, body leaned forward as well. 

Keiji normally wasn’t good at helping coming up with movie ideas. He just did the acting and listened to whatever Tooru or a director or somebody told him to do. Though, the thing that  _ just _ happened to him this morning sounded like it could have a good plot.

“What about,” Keiji started off with all eyes moving toward his direction, “we have two people. Both--” Keiji paused. He didn’t want to completely rip off real life, so he would change a few things up. “Both girls. One is a photographer, while the other one is this--” Keiji looked around for something in his head. “I don’t know--Instagram celebrity whose a professional baker or something.”  Tooru had leaned his elbow on the table and turned his body toward Keiji, face rested in the palm of his hand. He looked  _ really  _ interested.  “The photographer catches this celebrity’s picture in public on accident and rushes to them because they want to show them what they got. The celebrity, who is wearing--” Keiji took a risk, “Kind of what I wear to hide my identity, thought she was just a fan, but she ends up to be this fairly popular photographer. She asks her for a photoshoot in the future, and the celebrity accepts just out of like--” Keiji shrugs, “boredom? I guess.” 

Keiji leans back in his chair, and he shrugs, “I don’t know. That’s what I have.”

The entire table was silent, eyes all staring at Keiji. He started to pick at his fingers, thumbnail dragging along his pointer finger’s nail. 

“I love it.” Keiji’s finger paused. “What do you think, Asahi?” Daichi asked the man who had the largest build out of all of them, broad shoulders. He had long brown hair that was tied up in the back, tied into a bun. There were a few loose hairs falling from his hair around his face, but they were neat. He wore matching outfits with Daichi as he normally seemed to do.

“I’m in favor of doing a movie about that. Clearly, it needs an ending, but we can get it when we get there.”

“There’s one thing that’s bothering me though,” another one who was sitting there had said. Chikara Ennoshita. “It has to do with the characters. Two females. We want  _ you _ to act in the movie.”

“I agree. We need a character that you can play. You can still have another role but we want you to be the star of it all, man!” That was the last man there who chipped in. Ryuunosuke Tanaka.

This is where Tooru stepped in as Keiji’s manager.

“How about this, we add in a male character that Keiji plays. Just a minor one. We still want these two girls to shine in LGBTQ+ representation because,” Tooru made hand movements, holding out his hands on the table, pointing up. He raised an eyebrow with a little smirk. “We don’t have enough lesbian movies out there and some people are  _ begging  _ for more.” Tooru chuckled, “I know I am.”  Then men nodded, agreeing so far.  “And for your want for Akaashi here to have a main role, we just whip up another one. While people are still going crazy over this new lesbian rom-com, we are able to put a lot of thought and time into a new, bigger, better movie.” The four men exchange glances, looking between each other for a few moments before they looked at the two across the table.

“We’re in. Who shall this extra, male character be?”

Keiji looked over at Tooru. “A friend,” he said. Keiji looked over at the four other men on the other side of the table. “He’s there for emotion and moral support for the Instagram celebrity.”

“That sounds perfect,” Daichi said. “We’ll have our writers start the script, and we’ll send out details to you later,” he explained while getting to his feet. Tooru rose as well which made Keiji stand, then the others followed suit. Daichi held his hand out, “Glad to be working with you both again.”

Tooru smiled, accepting the handshake, “You as well, Daichi.”

~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~

“Akaashi,” Tooru spoke, and Keiji looked over at Tooru They were in Tooru’s office. Keiji was sitting on the couch that was against the wall in the room, Tooru standing over his desk, rifling through some paperwork. 

“Yeah?”

“That story plot--it was good.  _ Really _ good. Where’d you come up with that?” Before Keiji could start explain, Tooru tossed the hoodie, sunglasses, and a new medical mask he pulled from his desk at Keiji. “Get dressed while you explain.”

Keiji pulled the hoodie over his head. Once he had his face through the hole, he began, “Well, it has to do with  _ why _ I was late.” Keiji stared down at the sunglasses in his hands and messed with the arms, closing and opening them as for something to mess with. “Some guy on the street who didn’t even know I was a celebrity snapped my photo and showed me.”

“Did you get a name?” Tooru seemed excited.

Keiji shook his head, “No, actually, but we did plan a photoshoot.”

“When?”

“You’re not going to like it,” Keiji mumbled. He still wouldn’t look up and make eye contact with him. Keiji set down the sunglasses and slipped on the new medical mask, pulling it down and setting it on his chin. “The twentieth," he whispered, but it was just enough for Tooru to hear.

“KEIJI.”

“Sorry, Oikawa,” Keiji apologized. “He said a date, and I just agreed without checking my schedule.”

“I  _ gave _ you a schedule for a reason.”

“I know.” Keiji sighed as he pulled the hoodie over his head. “Just come to the photoshoot with me,” Keiji started to say while he picked up the glasses and walked over to Tooru’s desk. He stood on the other side of Tooru’s desk, finally staring him in the eyes. “And after that, we can go out somewhere or something.”

Tooru sighed, grabbing some papers off his desk and shoving them into his bag. He picked up the keys from his desk and headed toward the door. “Fine,” he finally said. “Come on. Your place?”

Keiji nodded, “Yeah, let’s go.”

For the rest of the day, Keiji and Tooru hung out at Keiji’s apartment. Tooru was trying to draft up ways that he could possibly end this new movie idea Keiji had proposed. Whenever he got sick and tired of that, Tooru would try and come up with the  _ new _ movie idea that he promised to give them.  Keiji would help him every now and then, but he was more focused on looking at some random stuff on the internet. Things like scrolling through Twitter or Instagram.

“Akaashi, what about, you, a dragon knight and another dude, a prince, who falls in love with you, the dragon knight.”

Keiji sighed, clicking his phone screen off, “It sounds like every homosexual fairy tale ever. No.”

“Rude.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of Keiji's and the stranger's photoshoot has come up, and Tooru joins them. Not only because it's planned on a day that was planned for them to hang out, but also because Tooru wants to be there to make sure this stranger isn't threatening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FORGOT TO ADD!!
> 
> Kuroken and Kuroo in general will also be in the next part. I totally forgot to add that ship, and Kuroo just doesn't make a lot of appearances in this part at all. It's sad 'cause I love him, but it just ended out that way :((

**Chap. 2**

**November 20th, 2019 **

The day finally came along where Keiji would be meeting up with that stranger. Keiji was kind of a little excited about it. He had never _done_ anything like this before. Sure, he had photoshoots. He had tons of them. Photoshoots for movies, interviews, meetings--there was a shit ton. Hell, he had one last month for a new movie he starred in that was just released. _ ‘Catching Flame’. _The thing that Keiji didn't normally do was meet up with a complete stranger simply because he found him interesting.

Keiji wore a black hoodie with the brand logo printed on the front of it with black jeans that were ripped at the knees, a little by the thighs. Over the top of his hoodie was this white, button-up jean sweater. Keiji pulled the hoodie over his head, slipping on the medical mask, and pushed the sunglasses up his face. As Keiji put his hand to the door handle, his phone buzzed in his pocket. While he opened the door, Keiji grabbed his keys off the hook and slipped them in his back jean pocket. After that he pulled out his phone from his pocket and left into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

** _✢Tooru♡: _ ** _ SHI, whAT DO I WEAR _

_ Normal clothes? Casual should be fine _

** _✢Tooru♡: _ ** _ Meeting up at Connor’s? _

_ Yeah _

** _✢Tooru♡: _ ** _ Sweet. I can’t wait to see this hot stud you found _

_ Shut up _

While Keiji was finishing texting Tooru, he was leaving the elevator on the last floor. He waved to the receptionist. She seemed nervous, but she smiled back with a wave. Keiji and her had never had a conversation aside from asking about things about his apartment building when he had first moved there. He left the building toward Connor’s. It was a convenience store that was fairly popular, but also, not that popular which was why Tooru and Keiji liked it so much. Tooru wasn’t actually there yet, so Keiji stood near it, leaned against the wall of the building while on his phone.

“Seriously, Koushi? I’m going to hit you.”

“Do it. I dare you.” Keiji looked over. One guy--Koushi, apparently--with silver hair that seemed like it could be highly silky, and the other one had spikey, dark brown hair. Koushi was backed into the wall and being scolded by the brown-haired one. He was towering over him--probably about a few inches taller than him.

“No, you need to control yourself.”

“There’s so much fun shit I could do.” Koushi tilted his chin up, puffed his chest out as a way to show his ‘friend’ wasn’t a threat at all to him. 

“I’ll send you back. Don’t test me, Sugawara.”

_''Koushi', 'Sugawara', what the fuck was his name? What was he going to stick to calling him?'_

Koushi pushed him off, palms flat and pressed to the taller guy’s shoulders, roughly pushing him back. “Fuck off, Iwaizumi.” He stormed off and headed down the street. The brown-haired one--Iwaizumi--tossed some cash at the store owner who was outside watching the fight, and he chased after him.

_ ‘What the hell was that about?’ _

“Akaashi! Keiji! Hey!” Keiji was snapped out of his thoughts. Tooru stood in front of him, yelling his name in a whisper so no one else but him could hear, snapping his fingers at a rapid pace--he was always good at snapping his fingers which made him a good manager when he had to randomly yell at people. “What’s wrong?”

“There was just--” Keiji paused. He looked toward the direction the two had walked away in. “Two guys were arguing hardcore--It doesn’t matter.”

“Are you sure?—“

“Hey!” Both Keiji and Tooru turned to the voice that yelled out. Lucky enough, it was for them. That guy stood there, waving an arm high in the air while the other one held onto his camera that hung around his neck. He had this great, big smile on his face. “You really came!” He said as he stopped in front of him. “With a friend too!” He gave a little bow, “By the way, I haven’t even fully introduced myself! Koutarou Bokuto, Instagram’s best photographer--” He paused. “Maybe top three,” he shrugged.

Koutarou wore a simple outfit. He wore these white jeans that were rolled up slightly at the bottom with pure white shoes. Seriously, like blinding white. Keiji was kind of surprised he was able to keep them that white. He must’ve just bought them. His top was a black shirt tucked into his pants with a thin, dark blue sweater with a zipper.

“Tooru Oikawa,” Tooru happened to say first. As a result of his business self, Tooru held a hand out for a handshake. Koutarou accepted it, shaking his hand. Keiji could tell it was a strong handshake, and that, in itself, was intimidating.

“Well, I said what I do for a living. What do you do?”

“I--” Tooru stumped. “I’m a manager for a select personnel.”

“Sounds smart. I bet you’re hella smart.”

Tooru shrugged, “I’m pretty far up there.”

“Your name?” Koutarou asked, turning toward Keiji. He froze up.

_ ‘Do I lie or come out with who I am?’ _

“Shi Oikawa,” Tooru answered for him. “He works with me.”

“‘Oikawa’? Any relation?” Koutarou asked.

Tooru shook his head, “Nope. Just a coincidence. You can call me ‘Oikawa’ and him ‘Shi’. He doesn’t mind.” Tooru elbowed Keiji in the side to get him to play along.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Call me ‘Shi’.”

“Perfect. Let’s go!”

Keiji, Koutarou, and Tooru ended up going to a very popular location in New York.

Central Park.

Keiji knew that this whole photography thing was going to be over soon even though they had just lied to hide Keiji’s identity. They would get there and Koutarou would ask Keiji to remove his hoodie, mask, and sunglasses. Keiji would comply and take them off, and Koutarou would get all thunderstruck over the fact that he had accidentally started working with _the Keiji Akaashi_. Koutarou would want him to keep working with him, using his status for fame on the internet. 

Keiji had been down this road before with previous photographers.

Though, when they got there, Koutarou didn’t do any of that. He didn’t ask him to take off his mask; he didn’t ask him to take off his sunglasses; he didn’t ask him to take off his hoodie. Instead, Koutarou told Keiji to go stand by a nearby tree he had pointed off to. There was a bench and a street light by it. Tooru stood on the other side of the park sat on another bench. He had his arms crossed, one leg over the other, and he watched carefully.

Keiji moved to where Koutarou told him to stand and stood, wondering what the hell he should exactly be doing. Usually, there would be professionals with their hands all over him, moving his limbs to whatever position they wanted, pointing his head in whatever direction. It was annoying as all hell, and even sometimes Tooru would have to yell at them if any of them touched him in a weird way. So, in all serious confusion, Keiji turned his head in question like a lost puppy at Koutarou--since he couldn’t make his eyebrows noticeable even by raising them. 

Koutarou kneeled on the ground, eye looking straight through the lens, camera held up by both hands, and when Keiji looked at him with his head turned--

_ Click_. 

_ That’s _when Koutarou snapped the photo.

Now, with Keiji even more confused, Koutarou just seemed pleased. Quickly, Koutarou stood up as he lowered the camera away from his face, swiftly clicking buttons like it was Keiji’s buddy Kenma playing video games on his Nintendo Switch.

“Ha! Look at that!” Koutarou said with excitement. He stared at the picture for a while, not taking his eyes off it. Not even to look at Tooru and Keiji who had both made their way over to look over his shoulder to get a look. Keiji looked down at the photo, and it seemed like nothing to him.

But to Koutarou, it seemed like everything. 

Keiji wasn’t going to say anything about it; he wasn’t going to question why Koutarou was so excited over such a simple photo. Though, of course, Tooru was.

“It’s just a picture, is it not? You take hundreds of those.”

“It’s not _just _ a picture,” Koutarou emphasized. As he explained, Koutarou _never _took his eyes off the photo. “This snap collects the few seconds of that _one _ moment. That very same moment will _ never _ happen again.” Koutarou shrugged, “Sure, you could recreate it.” Koutarou looked up, staring at the same exact spot that Keiji stood for the photo. “But that curious head turn will never be the same soft, genuine one it first was. It tells a story, paints a portrait, tells a thousand words. Multiple things could be said from this _ one _ picture.” Keiji and Tooru were speechless. They had no words from the speech just told by whom they expected to be at least average in intelligence. However, there’s always more than meets the eyes, and this was the time that Keiji _ really _learned that.

He really learned it when Koutarou Bokuto figuratively smacked him in the face.

Koutarou looked back down at his camera with a smile on his face and started shuffling through the other photos on his camera. His eyes never shined the same way as they did when they were looking at Keiji’s photos.

There was one photo that Keiji pointed out.

“Hey, go back to that one.”

Koutarou clicked back to a photo and stopped on it. “This one?”

Keiji nodded, “Yeah, who is that? He was there the day we met.”

“Ah, that’s my best friend. Tetsurou Kuroo. He’s an asshole,” Koutarou explained. He flicked his wrist, “You might meet him later, you might not.” Koutorou’s eyes lit up, “Speaking of ‘later’, Shi, I got a question for you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Can we do this again? I can understand if you’re too busy being a manager with Oikawa or whatever.” Koutarou stared down at his camera, his eyes scanning the photo he had snapped of Keiji. “You’re just perfect,” he mumbled under his breath.

“I’m just standing there, Bokuto.”

“Exactly! How natural it is is what _ makes _ it perfect. Please? I can pay you, I swear,” Koutarou was looking at Keiji with these cute, pleading eyes. Keiji looks over at Tooru who is standing on the other side of Koutarou, still analyzing the photo. He was probably trying to figure out why Koutarou was so amazed by it even though he had just explained. Tooru looked up at Keiji and made eye contact. From the look in Keiji's eyes, he could tell that Keiji _really _ wanted to do this. He wanted to keep modeling for Koutarou. 

So, Tooru, with a sigh, looked at Koutarou, “Well, I guess we could set up some dates that work with Shi’s schedule.”

“Really?”

Tooru nodded, “Should we go to lunch and figure it out? I’ll pay, my treat.”

~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~

Keiji was scrolling through social media on his phone. He couldn’t exactly go out to eat or drink while he was incognito since there was a medical mask over his face. It happened often, so Keiji was used to it. Usually, if Keiji wanted to go out to eat with friends, he would have to have Tooru and Kenma there to be a ‘bodyguard’ while they had reservations in the far back. Kenma would throw snark, aggressive, threatening comments, and Tooru would be the muscle, looking threatening to beat up literally anyone that walked by. He would be the one to step up if someone were giving him looks or getting too pushy with getting close to Keiji.

Koutarou and Tooru were busy going over dates and times that would work for both of their schedules.

“This day works?”

“Yeah, we were going to hang out that day ‘cause we both had it off, but I got called into work by that dickbag Ushiwaka.” Tooru grabbed his drink off the table and took a drink. “Seriously, that asshole thinks he can really boss me around.”

“He’s not that bad, Oikawa.”

“Says you! He adores you.”

“Shut up,” Keiji mumbled. He stared back down at his phone screen. That’s when he noticed the warning pop up on his phone.

_ ‘20%.’ _

Keiji reached over and tugged on Tooru’s sleeve, “Hey. We gotta go.”

“Why?”

“20%.”

Tooru rolled his eyes, “Pick up a book.”

“No.” 

Tooru’s eyes looked over at Koutarou who was smiling. “It’s fine,” he said. “Go home. We have enough dates planned so far.”

“Exchange numbers so I can send you the planner I created on my phone?”

“Hell yeah.”

Tooru exchanged numbers with Koutarou and even gave his number to Keiji and vise versa. The three stood outside the small cafe they dined at. Koutarou gave a smile and a little wave. He had his camera in a protective case slung over his shoulder.

“See ya, Shi, Oikawa!” 

“Bye, Bokuto,” Keiji said giving a small wave.

On the walk home as Tooru walked him back to his apartment complex, Tooru explained the schedule he had made with Koutarou. For some reason, Keiji felt excited. There was just a spark in him thinking of doing another photoshoot with Keiji. Maybe it was because someone was interested in him _ not _ because he was a famous celebrity.

Tooru sends Keiji the schedule through text, and they reach the front of the apartment building.

“Another meeting tomorrow to go over what the scriptwriters have.”

“I know, Oikawa.”

“Just making sure you remember. Goodnight, Akaashi.”

“Night, Oikawa.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Insert Hajime Iwaizumi]

###  **Chap. 3 **

**November 27th, 2019 **

Keiji and Tooru were waiting at a coffee shop that’s almost completely empty. There was one couple there in the back talking quietly with coffees, but other than that, there was no one else in the cafe (not counting the workers). Tooru was leaned on his elbows on the table, a coffee cup dangling in his fingertips. Keiji was a little scared he was going to drop the cup.

Since the two got there early, the two talked about random things like what they would do on their next day off. Tooru wanted some type of spa day while Keiji just wanted to stay home and watch a movie or something.

Keiji wore a simple outfit—simple for what he was always ‘forced’ to wear. Black jeans with a dark blue hoodie, that hoodie pulled over his head with sunglasses and a medical mask. Tooru had on a light blue and white plaid shirt with the buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up, showing off his expensive watch. Under that was a plain white shirt with a small pocket that was tucked into a pair of ripped, white jeans. 

Koutarou finally showed up, pushing the front door open with a swing. As he walked in, another guy walked in behind him. Iwaizumi? Keiji remembered him from when he was yelling at that guy on the street though that was the only reason he knew. Tooru’s back perked up at the sight of him, his body straightening up in his seat. 

He brought the coffee cup to his lips, speaking against the edge of the glass, “Who the hell is that hot guy with him?” They were both looking in their direction.

Iwaizumi was wearing black pants and a white shirt tucked in. Over that was this black cardigan. Keiji could tell Tooru was drooling over him. He was incredibly attractive, but he wasn’t really Keiji’s type. Koutarou was wearing these ripped up, dark blue jeans that were slightly rolled up at the bottom. Not like you can see any skin since he had these long, black socks underneath. His top was a plain, white sweater with the sleeves rolled up. Again, of course, a camera was hanging from around his neck. 

“I’ve seen the other guy before,” Keiji mumbled. “At Connor’s.” He looked over at Tooru, peeling his eyes away from Koutarou who was making his way over. Tooru still didn’t take his eyes off the guy. “He was yelling at some guy in front of Connor’s.”

“Well, shit,” Tooru started as he lifted the glass up, “he can yell at _ me _.” Keiji sent this glare over at Tooru as he chugged down some more coffee. 

“Shi! Oikawa!” Koutarou announced. He sat down at the table with the other guy following right next to him. They sat at a table, and lucky for Tooru, Koutarou sat next to Keiji, so the last seat was the seat right next to him. “This is Hajime Iwaizumi! One of my buddies.” Koutarou elbowed him. “I wouldn’t piss him off if I were you.”

Keiji was curious about him, and he was especially curious about the other guy and what they were arguing about. Though, he stayed quiet about it. He obviously wasn’t going to meddle in his personal life. Especially since the two had just met. 

“I’ll get drinks for us, Iwaizumi,” Koutarou said while springing up from his chair. While he did that, Keiji looked over at Tooru. He could tell he was trying his hardest _ not _ to stare at Hajime. “Shi.”

Keiji looked over toward the voice, and that’s when it happened.

_Click._

Koutarou pulled the camera away from his face right away and started to click through it. He mumbled something under his breath before he looked up and made eye contact with Hajime. “Black coffee?” Hajime nodded, and with that, Koutarou actually left to the counter.

“So, _Shi,_ what do you do?” Hajime asked. The way he said Keiji’s fake name make Keiji feel like Hajime _knew_ who he was. That he was just playing along with this whole thing for the sake of Koutarou.

“Manager,” Keiji replied. He was still going to go along with the little lie Tooru cooked up. Even though he felt like that there was this slight chance he didn’t believe him. “So is he.”

“Is it difficult?” Keiji looked over at Tooru for help. He made the face ‘I dunno. _ Is _ it hard to maintain me?’.

“Sometimes it gets a little hectic,” Tooru replied, twirling his bangs around his pointer finger. It was a nervous habit Tooru had that Keiji picked up on ages ago when a director for one of Keiji’s movies were ‘incredibly fucking hot.’. “But I—we don’t regret the job at all.” Keiji gave a small smile underneath his mask. Before Tooru or Keiji had the chance to ask Hajime what he did, Koutarou walked over and set down a black coffee in front of Hajime. He took a seat back next to Keiji and stirred his drink. It looked like some weird chocolate caramel mixture.

The four of them ended up talking about Koutarou’s photography which he really wasn’t shy about rambling on about.

“I’ve actually been tons of places to take pictures. Usually, Iwaizumi or Kuroo, or Sugawara would be my models in pictures.” 

_ ‘Sugawara? That guy Iwaizumi was arguing with. ‘Koushi Sugawara’?’ _

Koutarou showed Keiji and Tooru some photos from his Instagram, “Here. That’s when we were in Madagascar.”

“You’ve gone to Madagascar?” Keiji asked

“I’ve been to places cooler than Madagascar.” Koutarou has this grin on his face. Exactly how much had this guy seen? Where has he gone?

Koutarou Bokuto was full of surprises and secrets, and Keiji wanted to figure them all out.

Why?

His entire life fame had followed him around, and it’s not as fun and exciting as it may seem. So Koutarou was about to be a big change for Keiji, and he was in love with that idea.

~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~

“Holy shit, was he hot or what?” Tooru asked Keiji. They headed on their way home with Tooru waking Keiji to his apartment like he usually did. His home was a little bit further than Keiji’s which made Keiji not feel as bad since he had never walked Tooru home. 

Keiji shrugged, “I guess.”

“You guess? Did you _ see _ that man’s arms?” Tooru ran his hand through his hair. “I want him to punch me in the goddamn face.” His hands moved to his pocket while he looked over at Keiji. Since it was kind of dark out and the street was a little empty, Keiji pulled the mask down on his chin and slipped his sunglasses into his pocket.  
“Oikawa, no.”

“Oikawa, yes.” Tooru sighed. “You never let me have any fun.”

“Your idea of fun is banging every guy on the block.”

“He’s not on the block,” Tooru said. “I’m pretty sure they live on the other side of this area,” he added in a mumble. “And I don’t bang every guy.”

“You screwed the producer three movies ago.”

“HE was hot.”

Keiji rolled his eyes, “You say that about every producer, Oikawa.”

“Fuck you.”

“That’d be bad for our business relationship.” Tooru didn’t have any more to say. He kind of just pouted and stayed silent for the rest of the walk.

That was until they reached Keiji’s. He told him goodnight with his signature smile and peace sign and headed off down the road. 

Keiji headed into his apartment and took a shower, ate dinner, whatever. Though, the entire time, he couldn’t get the image of Koutarou’s excited face whenever he would stare down at a picture he took. To Keiji, it seemed like nothing. But to Koutarou?

It was everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to say that this story has been posted for like four days and it already has a lot of sweet comments. You guys are awesome! I love you all <33
> 
> Shamefully promoting my anitwt @penguinsloth3
> 
> I usually just shit talk Oikawa for losing nationals, post about the Bokuro brofriendship, and cry about the new BNHA season


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another day, another photoshoot.
> 
> This chapter includes two days, both days are really small.
> 
> Little babie chapter today. Sorry :(((

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️

###  **Chap. 4 **

**December 12th, 2019**

Keiji is sitting in his chair and leaned more to one side, an elbow resting on the armrest while his chin sits on his palm. Tooru is sitting next to him in his own chair (both of them had their own last names on the back like the cool ones in the movies), one leg had its foot resting on a bar on the bottom of the chair, and the other leg is rested on top of that while he flips through some papers. 

They’re watching (well, Keiji is really the only one who is watching. Tooru is just reading the script) the actors that got the roles. They playing out the first scene--the scene where the two meet. The one girl takes the photo, the flash almost blinding Keiji. He knows exactly what’s going to happen, and Keiji fiddles with his fingers as he keeps watching. The actors were perfect for this, and Keiji could really feel it that deep down, this was perfect. The movie was amazing. His idea was amazing--his _ own, true _story was amazing. There was that gut feeling that this would be the perfect love story.

But what did that say about his own story?

It’s been about three weeks since his first photoshoot--the one in central park. Keiji and Koutarou have had _ plenty _ other ones happen. Usually, they’re two or three times a week since Keiji didn’t work much as writers were still writing the script, and also, Keiji didn’t have a lot of acting time since he was merely a minor character.

And every single time that Keiji would have his picture taken by Koutarou, he watched him pull the camera from his face, click through to get to pictures and stare at the photo of Keiji. Every single time, Koutarou was so fascinated by it. Eyes would light up, eyebrows would raise, chest would pop up. His face was almost like he was looking at gold--gold he couldn’t touch or it would disintegrate with the moisture on his skin.

Keiji would see that again tonight, since, tonight, they would be meeting up once again. He would get to see the brightening look in his eyes.

And Keiji couldn’t wait.

~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~

Koutarou and Keiji walked alongside a road that stood along the water. There were cars driving past with their headlights on, honestly blinding enough to blind Keiji a little bit. Keiji could really see Koutarou’s back in the dark when the lights hit his dark blue jacket and black jeans while he walked a few feet in front of him.

There was a part of Keiji that was amazed Koutarou hadn’t figured out who he was. He _ knew _ that he’s heard Keiji’s voice before since he saw him _ watching _ a part of a movie he acted in.

“Shi, can you stand over there for me?” Koutarou asked when he came to a stop, pointing to a spot along the road. 

“Sure, Bokuto,” Keiji mumbled. He walked over in front of Koutarou, hands grabbing the railing and looking over the edge toward the water. There was a car passing by, its headlights shining brighter than ever, and Keiji looked over at it just out of habit.

_ Click _. 

Keiji looked back at Koutarou. He hadn’t expected him to take a picture already, yet he did. Right as the car lights flashed over his face, Koutarou decided to snap the photo. He pulled the camera from his face and clicked until he got to the picture. This time, he stared at it with a blank expression.

For a _ lot _ longer than usual. Usually, he’d call out and tell Keiji to come look if Keiji hadn’t already started making his way over to get a look at it. Instead, he just stared at the picture, eyes slowly moving to take in every inch of the photo.

“What?” Keiji asked.

“Your--” Koutarou started quietly. “Your eyes.”

“What?” Keiji asked a little more quickly. He rushed over next to Koutarou, hand grabbing Koutarou’s wrist and moving his arm so he can see the screen of the camera. Usually, Keiji wasn’t so quick to grab someone like that, but he couldn’t help himself. There was a little panic in him. If Koutarou figured out who he was, this would all be over, and that was the last thing Keiji wanted.

Keiji finally laid his eyes on the picture. It was a side photo, and with the passing lights, you could clearly see Keiji’s eyes and pale skin.

“I can delete it if you want.”

“No,” Keiji mumbled. “No, it’s fine.”

“Your eyes--They’re really fucking pretty, man. Hey,” Koutarou’s eyes widened, and he looked over at Keiji, “can you take off your sunglasses? It’s not like I haven’t seen your eyes before anymore.” He said while pointing at the photo. Keiji thought about it. You bet your ass he was nervous, but Keiji did it. He reached up, grabbing the arm of his glasses, and he pulled them off, putting them in his pocket.

Koutarou stared. “Woah,” he mumbled. “Your eyes are even better in person! And your skin...It looks so soft! Do you use lotion?”

“Bokuto, shut up.”

“Come on. You’re pretty--like _ really _ pretty--”

“Bokuto.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Koutarou quickly said. “Take more pictures?” He asked with a grin as he held up the camera.

Keiji smiled softly under the mask and nodded. “Sure.”

The entire time they took pictures, Koutarou would go on about how tonight was the perfect night, how Keiji looked beautiful in front of the water and under the stars. Keiji’s lips would curve at the corner of his mouth, but he would still end up telling him to shut up.

Keiji got home at around three in the morning, passing out on the couch like a drunk teenager just getting home.

**December 13th, 2019**

“Aka--_ Keiji _ , are you fucking serious?” Tooru moved closer to Keiji’s face, and Keiji backed up a little, leaning back in his chair. They were sitting in Tooru’s office before getting ready to head to the set, and Tooru was _ pissed_. Tooru reached over and poked at the new, small bags underneath Keiji’s eyes. Keiji’s eye that was being poked at closed, and he flinched a little. “You got _ how _ many hours of sleep?” 

“Oikawa--”

“How many?”

Keiji sighed. “Four,” he finally replied. Tooru rolled up his paperwork in his hand and hit Keiji on the head like he was a dog. “Hey--”

“You _ need _ sleep, and I’m saying that as a friend, not as a manager.”

Keiji stared off toward the ground in order to not make eye contact with his well-pissed off manager. His fingers tripped over each other. Keiji felt _ really _ bad. He knew he wasn’t supposed to stay up late. That was the _ one _ thing that Tooru always asked of him. ‘Get your beauty sleep, and I’ll do everything else.’ In reality, getting sleep and taking care of himself was Keiji’s _ only _ job. “Sorry, Oikawa,” he mumbled.

Tooru sighed, “Whatever. Don’t do it again, idiot.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's about time that Koutarou figures out who Keiji really is. Though, with the way it went down, was it worth it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to mention that I do not live in New York. When I type out the description of a place, it's usually from images I go off of on Google Maps or the internet. I try my best :(( Just so you know for future reference.
> 
> Also, I'm not a doctor, so any medical scenes that go into detail will be shi t t y. 
> 
> My last thing I have to say, I have no idea if Connor's is an actual convenience store chain, I just made it up.

###  **Chap. 5**

**January 11th, 2020 **

A month flies by quickly with Keiji and Tooru working on the movie along with the photoshoots on the side with Koutarou. During that entire month, Koutarou doesn’t figure out who Keiji is. He’s still left completely clueless, though, they do photoshoots while Keiji has the glasses off since what’s the harm?

Until one night happens that leads to Koutarou finding out, and Keiji really would’ve preferred any other way like maybe Tooru accidentally slipping up his name or Keiji needs some air and slips away, removing his mask then Koutarou accidentally catches him and recognizes him. Maybe a super fan that can recognize Keiji from anywhere shows up.

Though, really, in reality, what happened never crossed Keiji’s mind of being a possibility for Koutarou figuring out, and it scared the hell out of him.

They were walking on their way home after a photoshoot. Koutarou is humming while walking beside Keiji, both hands holding onto the camera as a way to protect it since he forgot his case. It was some bad habit that Koutarou had as he rarely put it in the case since he _always _loved to have it out at the ready. 

It’s dark out--not completely dark. There are lights from the street lights and beams of light that come from apartment buildings out of the windows. Every now and then a car would pass by, but it seemed rare.

Keiji is walking close to an alleyway as they make their way past the front of Connor’s. _That’s _when one of the scariest moments of his life happens. Not the time when Keiji was roughly grabbed and pulled into a crowd of people during an event, not when Tooru stood up for him against some pervert dickbag and got punched in the face so hard to the point Keiji cried for Tooru.

A hand grabbed Keiji at the wrist and pulled him further down the alley. _Away _from Koutarou. He sharply sucked in a breath of air. No cry for help was able to come out, Keiji was far too scared to make a noise. His body started shaking, and his breath got short, taking quick, rapid breaths in and out. 

Keiji feels the cold tip of a blade press into the pale skin on his neck. He freezes, and by instinct to protect himself, one of his arms grabs the stranger at the wrist, but it doesn’t make any effort to peel him away. The knife moved and touched against one of the top strings of the medical mask, threatening to cut the string. At the beginning, Koutarou kept his distance when the knife was brought into play. You can tell he was scared, but he also looked kind of angry. He had his arms up, feet threatening to take a step forward. Koutarou probably thought maybe he could snatch Keiji away without getting him hurt.

“What do you want?” Koutarou asked.

“What do you have?”

“Nothing,” he quickly answered, and right then and there, Koutarou turned his pockets inside out to prove he didn’t have anything. “I left my wallet at home.” Koutarou took a clear step forward. “Dude, just let him go--”

The man cut a string. “Don’t,” he warned. Keiji’s grip tightened on the guy’s wrist, fingers digging into the guy’s skin, drawing some blood with his sharp nails. The man’s blade moved to the diagonal lower string, threatening to cut that one in half. His eyes moved to the camera hanging around Koutarou’s neck.

“That. The camera. How much is it?”

“My--” Koutarou paused, both hands moving to hold onto his most valuable possession. He thought for a minute. “Maybe like...fifteen grand..?” 

_ ‘Fifteen grand? Are you kidding me?’ _

“Bokuto, give him the camera,” Keiji finally said. His voice really was shaky.

“What?”

“I swear to god I will buy you a new one just give him the camera.” The guy seemed to be getting impatient, and he cut the other string. Keiji moved his other hand that wasn’t digging into the guy’s wrist and tried to hold up the mask. As he did, the man moved the blade to the last top string of the mask, and as it moved, it lightly scratched at the skin of his cheek, slightly cutting into it. Keiji let out a small whine, thinking it would hurt more than it actually did.

“Okay, okay!” Koutarou yelled. The man didn’t notice, clearly, but Keiji did. Koutarou’s quick fingers to remove the SD card from the camera. The SD card slipped into the sleeve of Koutarou’s white jacket. He grabbed the camera and slowly pulled it off from around his neck.

“Place it on the ground!” There was this sad but even more pissed off look in Koutarou’s eyes as he carefully placed the camera on the ground in front of the man and Keiji. Keiji could tell and read that look in his eyes. The look that Koutarou was about to jump at the man, his eyes staring at the wrist that held the knife. He knew that Koutarou wanted to grab his wrist, rip it away, and tackle the man to the ground.

Though he never had the chance to. 

The man cut the last string and roughly shoved Keiji to the ground. Koutarou landed on his knees _hard_ as he moved to catch Keiji. His knees scraped, digging up the skin, blood started to run into the small cracks of the concrete, but he didn’t seem to care. As long as he caught Keiji. 

While Koutarou was moving to make sure he caught Keiji so he didn’t hit into the cold ground of the alleyway, the man snatched the camera and ran off. Koutarou stared at the back of the man who was scampering off with his camera.

Keiji put his face into Koutarou’s arm, hands grabbing at the cloth of Koutarou’s jacket, his nails digging into Koutarou’s arm--thank god that guy was _wearing_ a jacket or Keiji definitely would’ve dug his nails right into his forearm. He was biting his lip, turning it from pink to white. Keiji was still shaking, still recovering. He just wanted to hide away inside his closet with his laptop and play a good movie. Maybe snuggle up with a pillow and a blanket--possibly a hot chocolate?

This had _never_ happened to Keiji. Usually, when he was out this late, he had an actual bodyguard or Tooru with him at least.

“Shi, are you okay?” Keiji looked up at Koutarou, eyes meeting.

“Yeah,” Keiji mumbled. They stared at each other for a few moments. That was until Koutarou decided to speak up again.

“Do I know you?”

Keiji cracked a small smile, “You’re kidding, right?”

“Not really,” Koutarou shrugged. “Damn, was I right though?”

“About what, Bokuto?”

“You’re _ really _ fucking pretty.”

“Shut up. Can you stand up?”

“Think so,” Koutarou replied as he tried to make his way to his feet. Keiji sat on his knees while holding his hands up a little, watching Koutarou wobble a little bit. He looked down at Koutarou’s knees. The white jeans were ripped and stained with dirt and blood. “Your mask, Shi. Are you sure you’re alright? Your cheek is bleeding--”

“Bokuto, you look at your knees and bring up the cut on my cheek that’s like a shaving cut?” Keiji asked while standing. He grabbed Koutarou’s arm and set it on his shoulders. “Come on.”

“Where we going?--Ow.”

“My place. Let’s go, Bokuto.”

~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~

While stumbling down the street the rest of the way with Koutarou hanging onto Keiji’s shoulder quite literally, they make their way to Keiji’s apartment complex and head up the elevator. Thank god the receptionist wasn’t there because, to Keiji, she seemed like the type of person to freak out if she saw Keiji walking into the building with a stranger hanging onto him with bloody, scraped knees.

Keiji turned the key in the door handle to his apartment and pushed open the door. His hand slipped to Koutarou’s back and helped push him in.

“Sit on the couch please.”

“Shi--”

“Sit, Bokuto.” Koutarou let out a sigh and limped over to the couch, sitting down and sinking into the sofa. “I’ll be right back. Stay there.”

“Mmk.”

Keiji headed into the bathroom down the hall and opened the cabinet. He grabbed the first AID kit and set it down on the counter, opening it, checking to see if everything was there. Why? Because one time Tooru showed up at his apartment with a hangover and a weird cut on his shoulder. He had no recollection of what happened the night before. The story is still unsolved to this day.

He shut the box and caught his own glance in the mirror. His eyes moved to the small cut on his cheek. It stung like a quick prick of a needle at most, and it was nothing compared to what happened to Koutarou. 

Keiji took one big sigh as he grabbed the bottom of his sweater and pulled it off over his head, his hair ruffling up turning it to even messier black hair. He tossed the sweater into the laundry bin in the corner and stared at himself in the mirror once more. Keiji straightened out the black long sleeve shirt and pulled up his jeans, fixing his appearance as if it mattered.

_ ‘‘Pretty’? Whatever. Idiot.’ _He grabbed the AID kit off the counter and headed into the living room where he left Koutarou waiting.

“Woah!” Koutarou said. “Holy shit, you really are pretty!”

“Bokuto, please shut up,” Keiji mumbled while he walked over, sitting down on the ottoman and placing the kit on the empty spot beside him. He opened it and grabbed out a pair of throwaway gloves, slipping them on before grabbing the small pair of scissors. Keiji was careful not to hurt Koutarou as he cut the jeans around the wounds. Before he went at it with a pair of tweezers to pick out the bits of rock and dirt, Keiji looked Koutarou in the eyes. “Tell me to stop if it hurts.”

“Mmk,” Koutarou hummed. Keiji was as careful and as light as he could as he picked up the pieces and dropped them into a small, plastic bag. Koutarou winced in pain from the last bit Keiji took out. He had saved the biggest one for last. 

“Sorry,” Keiji mumbled. He set down what he had in his hands onto the lid of the kit and picked up some alcohol cleaning wipes. “This is gonna sting.” Koutarou nodded to show he was ready, and Keiji pressed the wipes to the cuts on one knee. Koutarou sharply sucked in through his teeth. 

“Hey,” Koutarou said as a way to distract himself. “Hey, you’re like _ really _ familiar?” 

Keiji lets out a small chuckle. “‘Catching Flame’.”

“Huh?”

“Look it up,” Keiji replied while he grabbed a new alcohol wipe and cleaned off the other knee. While Koutarou pulls out his phone and searches it up, Keiji puts some ointment on the wounds and placed bandages over top of those. He made sure it wasn’t too tight or didn’t hurt or anything.

“Holy shit. You’re famous.” Keiji has to bury his face into his elbow (since his hands were still bloody) to stifle his laughter. “Wait, does this mean you’re gonna stop being my model?" Keiji’s smile dropped, and he started to pack up his first AID kit, leaving the garbage out to throw away. “Obviously, I still want you to cover up. There’s sort of this—mystery to them when you don’t know the model.” 

Keiji was silent. _ ‘He doesn’t want to use me for fame? He could easily do that.’ _ Keiji’s silence let Koutarou continue. 

“Unless, you want to, but,” he shrugged, “I’d expect you would want a break from the fame I bet you’re constantly getting.”

Keiji again was silent before nodding, “Yeah.”

~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~

“Shi, Shi, let me cook for you,” Koutarou begged. He was on his feet again, leaned on the counter from the living room into the kitchen. Keiji stood in the kitchen, and he grabbed a pot from the cupboard. 

“No, Bokuto. You’re injured. Go sit down, and watch T.V.”

“But I made you use your first AID kit, and I’m about to eat your food, and I’m in your place--”

“Exactly, Bokuto. My place, my rules. Also, I lost you your camera. Please, Bokuto, go sit down.” Keiji stared Koutarou in the eyes, and it was a silent battle for a while until Koutarou let out this sigh and gave up.

“Ugh, fine.” Keiji gave a small smile as Koutarou headed back over to the couch, limping over. He began making some dinner to feed the two of them. Instead of turning on the T.V., Koutarou laid on the couch and stared up at the ceiling.

“Hey, Shi--” Koutarou quickly sat up. “Wait, is your name even ‘Shi Oikawa’?” Keiji found himself smiling again. 

“No.”

“Wait, so which one of the actor names are you?” Koutarou asked while pulling his phone out of his pocket, scrolling through what Keiji assumed to be a list of actor names.

“Keiji Akaashi.”

“Waitttt,” Koutarou dragged out, clicking on the screen. Probably a link to the role he played. Which was right considering what he said next. “Woah, you’re the main fucking character!? Akaashi, you’re pretty _ and _ awesome!”

“Please stop talking.”

Keiji finished cooking and served Koutarou a bowl of curry with a cold cup of ice water, and then he sat down on the other side of the couch with his own food.

“Akaashi. Aka-shiiii,” Koutarou mumbled and dragged out. “I like Akaashi better than ‘Shi’. Wait, wait!” Keiji had his back leaned against the armrest, feet set in the middle of the couch between them as he had his bowl of food in his lap. He dug into his food as he listened to Koutarou. “I remember this time I met this boy named ‘Shi’. He was selling cake pops in France.”

“‘Cake pops in France’?” Keiji asked with a small smile before taking a bite of his food. For some reason, Koutarou’s rambling stories were always so interesting.

“Yeah! Iwaizumi, Sugawara, Kuroo, and I went to France a few years back. I was able to take a ton of photos--all beautiful as hell. Anyway, this Shi watched Sugawara push Iwaizumi into some pool of water, and he gave us all free cake pops because he said he hadn’t seen anything that funny in a long time! He told us to come back for more if we wanted to.” Koutarou sighed a happy sigh with his big smile of his, taking another bite of food before speaking again with his mouth full. “Another reason to go back there.”

“I’ve acted in France once,” Keiji mumbled.

“Really?”

Keiji nodded. “Yeah, it was for some movie Oikawa dragged me into.”

“Now, is _ his _ name ‘Oikawa’?”

Keiji covered his mouth to laugh again, not wanting a laugh to slip out. “Yeah,” he nodded with a smile, “yeah, it is.”

“Just checking.”

Keiji and Koutarou finished eating, and Keiji took the dishes into the kitchen and cleaned up.

“Bathroom is down the hallway,” Keiji started to say while he headed into the living room to open a closet. He opened it and pulled down some blankets from the top shelf. “Cups are in the cupboard to the left of the sink just in case you get thirsty. Here, Bokuto,” he says while handing him some blankets and pillows.

“Thanks, ‘Kaashi!”

Keiji nods, “‘Night, Bokuto.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No camera, no photoshoot.
> 
> Tooru and Keiji discuss an upcoming party.
> 
> Koutarou and Keiji meet up again after a long while as they haven't had many photoshoots since the incident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hhhh I didn't reread this. I am very tired.

###  **Chap. 6 **

**January 15th, 2020**

Keiji and Tooru are sat in a coffee shop on one of their days off. Tooru was wearing one of his college sweaters with the large print of ‘Aoba Johsai’ on it in light blue, and then white jeans to match the main white color of his sweater. Keiji is wearing the dark blue hoodie with, of course, the hood pulled over his head with the sunglasses and medical mask. He wore a simple pair of black, ripped jeans.

“So, this _ party _,” Tooru started to say, a cup of coffee tilting at his lips, liquid spilling past. He sets down the cup and looks up at Keiji even though he can’t see his eyes through the sunglasses; Keiji doesn’t look up from his phone screen, but it’s not like Tooru would know if he was making eye contact or not. “Usually, I take you and you take me.” Keiji nodded in agreement, fingers still flying on the phone screen, scrolling through the timeline of his well-loved Twitter. “I was thinking that you should take Bokuto instead,” Tooru said very quickly, cup going straight to his lips right after he finished talking to nervously sip down his drink.

“What?” Keiji finally looked up from his phone, and his head lifted up and everything.

“Well, he knows now, doesn’t he?” Tooru asked while setting the cup down. “That you’re _ The Keiji Akaashi _\--”

“Oh, don’t you start calling me that too--”

“And,” Tooru interrupted, “this is a chance for him to see just how amazing you are. Maybe even protect you a little bit so I don’t have to, and I can get some work done so I don’t have to be your bodyguard.”

“I don’t need a bodyguard, Oikawa.”

“But you want one.”

“Yes.”

“Then take Bokuto.”

“Take Iwaizumi.” Right when Keiji said that, Tooru perked up. His back straightened in his seat as his fingers drummed against the table. His cheeks taking a little pink shade to it. But Tooru composed himself. He took a deep breath, his fingers slowing down a little bit.

“Fine,” Tooru said. 

“Good. Text him right now.” Tooru’s eyes squinted at Keiji. He slowly picked up his phone that sat face down on the table. 

“You text Bokuto first.”

“Are we in the fifth grade?” Tooru just stared, and Keiji sighed. “Fine.”

_ Bokuto, I have a question _

_ Kind of more like a favor _

** _Bokuto: _ ** _ Sure Kaashi! _

_ There’s this party I have to go to for the success of my last movie _

** _Bokuto: _ ** _ The Catching Flame one? _

_ Yes _

** _Bokuto: _ ** _ What about it _

_ I want you to come _

_ If you want to, Bokuto _

_ I’m obviously not making you do anything _

** _Bokuto: _ ** _ Hell yeah _

** _Bokuto:_ ** _ But I don’t really have any dress clothes _

_ Oikawa can help with that, I’m sure _

_ Head to my apartment two hours before _

** _Bokuto: _ ** _ Alright Kaashi! _

** _Bokuto:_ ** _ Now I’m really excited _

_ Why? _

** _Bokuto: _ ** _ I get to hang out with you at a party!!! _

Keiji tried to stop the corner of his lips from curving upward. He knew that Tooru was watching him closely. 

_ Whatever, Bokuto _

“Done,” Keiji said while placing his phone down. “Your turn.” Tooru took a deep breath and unlocked his phone screen and headed to the messages. He paused on the texting screen, staring at the white screen of write ‘New Message’. This meant, before this, he had _ never _ had the balls to message Hajime. 

Keiji grinned. 

“‘I have something to ask you’—No, that’s too direct,” Tooru whispered to himself under his breath. “Akaashi, how did you ask Bokuto?” He asked while looking up.

“Seriously? Just ask him, Oikawa.”

“Shut up. I am.” Tooru mumbled it like a small child. He stared at the screen looking at it with an unsure expression. “‘Would you do me a favor?’? Is that good—“ Tooru cut himself off when he made eye contact with Keiji. “Fine, I’ll do that,” he mumbled, quickly typing something, but he was hesitant to click send. Finally, he did though, and he let out a deep breath. Tooru dug in his pockets and pulled out change, slamming a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “Let’s get out of here.”

As Keiji and Tooru walked, Tooru looked up at the sky with his hands in his pockets.

“You just wanted to leave ‘cause you didn’t want me to be near you when Iwaizumi texts you back—“

“Shut. Up.” 

“Oikawa, give me your phone.”

“Why?”

“Give.” Tooru sighed and handed Keiji his phone. He unlocks it, knowing the password by now. At first, he figured it out by himself when looking over Tooru’s shoulder, but a few weeks after that, Tooru gave him his password since they exchanged phones for something stupid. Long story.

Keiji opened the text messages.

“You named Iwaizumi ‘Hot Motherfucker’?”

“Don’t judge.” Keiji sighed, but he paused when he saw Hajime was replying to Tooru’s ‘I know it’s a lot to ask, but can I ask a favor?’.

**Hot Motherfucker:** Sure, go ahead

_ I have a party this weekend and I wanted to invite you _.

No, Keiji did not tell Tooru that he was replying for him. That would be the humane thing to do.

**Hot Motherfucker:** Sounds fun. When?

“Here,” Keiji said as he finally handed Tooru back his phone. He had turned his head left to hand Tooru back his phone, and when he did, he saw the store that they were walking past. It caught his eye.

In the window was a camera. It was a seventy grand camera, but it looked beautiful--or whatever beauty meant in cameras. Keiji didn’t quite understand, but he remembered Koutarou drooling over this same camera while searching the internet.

To stop him, Keiji put an arm out in front of Tooru.

“What?” Tooru asked, and he looked over to see what Keiji was looking at. “A camera?” Keiji nodded. “Does Bokuto really have that much of an effect on you that now you’re interested in cameras?”

“What? No,” Keiji replied. “I forgot to tell you, but a few days ago, Bokuto and I were walking back to my apartment in the dark and we ended up getting mugged. Since we didn’t have our money on us, the guy saw Boktuo’s camera and took it instead and ran off.”

“What?!” Tooru grabbed Keiji by the shoulders. “Are you okay?”

“Bokuto got hurt more than I did,” Keiji said while softly grabbed Tooru at the wrists. “I just got a small cut--like a shaving cut really.” He lowered Tooru’s hands and pointed to the small cut on his cheek that was basically faded by now, not even leaving a scar. Tooru reached up and lightly dragged a finger against the cut. “That’s how Bokuto figured out who I was.”

“So that little story with the mask just accidentally slipping off your face was total bullshit?” Tooru asked while moving his hands back to himself.

“Yes.”

“Well, did you take him home? Oh, my god, did you sleep in the same bed? What happened? Akaashi, Keiji, Kei--”

“Oikawa, shut up please.”

“Answer me.”

Keiji sighed, “Yes.”

“You sleep in the same bed?” Keiji hit him. “Ow.”

“No, he slept on the couch.” Keiji started fiddling with his fingers again. “The mugger cut off my medical mask as a distraction to run away with the camera and pushed me down. Bokuto happened to catch me, and he injured his knees in the process so I--” Keiji took a deep breath, “I took him to my apartment and patched him up.” Keiji shrugged, staring down at his fingers while adding in a whisper, “and then I cooked him food. No big deal.”

“THAT--” Tooru started to say, “is SO fucking romantic. I’m gonna cry. Can that be a movie? That _ has _ to be a movie.” Keiji rolled his eyes and gave Tooru a light shove as he headed into the store that held the camera. 

“If you think it’s so romantic, bring it up to the producer on the movie that was _ inspired _ by Bokuto and I.” Keiji opened the door and waited for Tooru to actually start walking toward the store with him.

“Maybe I will,” Tooru mumbled as he made his way into the store.

The two browsed the other cameras, seeing if there was a better fit for Koutarou, but that camera that Keiji saw in the window, that was the one. He could _ feel _it. Keiji knew that Koutarou loved it and wanted it, and he could just picture Koutarou holding up that camera to his eye, snapping a picture of him.

It had to be that one.

“Excuse me,” Keiji asked the man at the counter. “That camera in the window is only seventy grand, right?”

“‘_ Only _ seventy grand’?” The man asked surprised. He chuckled, “Yes. It’s seventy grand.” Keiji pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and opened it, searching for his debit card.

“Here,” he said. “I’ll take it.”

“Usually p-people take out a loan for something that expensive.” The man seemed shocked as he accepted the card. “Credit?”

Keiji shook his head, “Debit, and why would I need to take out a loan?”

“Excuse my spoiled ass friend,” Tooru said with a friendly smile as he placed a hand on Keiji’s shoulder. “Though, yes, he can pay full price here.” The man stared for a few seconds but nodded, swiping the debit card in the cash register. Keiji was looking around as he rung up the camera, and he spotted a box of SD cards. He pointed to them, and Tooru looked over. “Really?” Tooru asked.

“Yes.”

Tooru sighed. “This guy has you around his finger,” he mumbled, and he grabbed the box that sat closer to Tooru than it did Keiji, sitting on the counter to the right. “This too, sir.”

“Does this come with a camera case?”

“He stole the case too?”

Keiji shook his head, “No. His case is beaten up and old,” Keiji mumbled quietly under his breath while drumming his thumbs on the counter. 

“There is a case, but it comes with the _ seventy _ grand camera.” Keiji nodded, and Tooru sighed while running his fingers through his hair. The man slid back the debit card, and Keiji slid it back into his wallet. He set the camera safely into a case and slipped in the SD cards into this little pocket attached to the case. Thank god he did because Keiji had _ no _ idea that existed. 

“Thank you,” Keiji said. “Let’s go, Oikawa.”

“Oh, you’re finally done shopping for your boyfriend?”

“Yeah,” Keiji rolled his eyes, “let’s shop for yours now.”

Keiji and Tooru leave the shop after they finally get the expensive as all hell camera. On the walk home as Tooru walks him to Connor’s, Tooru is teasing him. He says how Keiji would never spend that much money on a friend and that the most amount of money he spent on him and Kenma was around 50 grand. Keiji just tells him to shut it like normal. Finally, they reach Connor’s, and Keiji is able to escape Tooru’s teasing. Usually, Tooru would walk him straight to his apartment building, but Tooru had somewhere else go. He said he wanted to go back to the office and get some things done.

On his walk to the rest of the way home, Keiji looked up at the sky. He knew Koutarou would love this night, calling it ‘The Perfect Night’ or whatever. 

_ ‘We haven’t had a photoshoot in a week since we’ve been cameraless.’ _ Keiji’s hands moved to the camera, the case strap resting on his shoulder. _ ‘And now we have a camera.’ _ Keiji pulled out his phone, stopped in front of the building of his apartment.

_ Bokuto _

**Bokuto: **Kaashi!

**Bokuto: **It’s late

**Bokuto:** Don’t you have work in the morning

_ Yeah, I do _

_ Can we meet up? _

**Bokuto: **Of course

**Bokuto:** Are you okay

_ Yeah _

_ You know J Owen Grundy Park? _

**Bokuto:** Yup I’ll be there

_ Thanks _

**Bokuto:** Of course

Keiji felt the corner of his mouth twitch, and he started to make his way to the park. 

Surprisingly, Koutarou was there before Keiji was—though it was probably because he lived closer than Keiji did. Once Koutarou saw him, his arm stretched in the air and he waved. Keiji felt himself smile from how ridiculous Koutarou looked while he waved his arm high in the air. He walked over, setting the camera case on the ground next to his chair as he took a seat. 

J Owen Grundy Park was this dock on the water with a railing lining the wood floor. You could see the city lights and some boat lights depending on where you were looking. It was even colder by the water, and it was dark out but the lights brightened up the area. Koutarou gave Keiji the seat so he can have his back to the public, face toward the water—it wasn’t like anyone was there. It was far too dark out and far too late. Keiji pulled the mask down and set it on his chin. He took in that fresh deep breath of air. Koutarou smiles while sliding over a drink.

“Here, ‘Kaashi.”

“Thanks.”

“So,” Koutarou started to say. He leaned forward on the table a little, eyebrow raising in curiosity, “why’d you ask me out here this late?”

“I got something for you,” Keiji said. He reached down beside him and placed the camera case on the table. Koutarou stared at it, nothing moving at all. 

“What’s that?”

“I’d expect you would know, Bokuto.”

“No, no, no, no, no, I know _ what _ it is but that’s a seventy thousand dollar camera.”

“I know.” Keiji pushed the camera toward Koutarou more. “It’s yours.” Koutarou kept staring at the camera, eyes slowly scanning over the case. “Bokuto, quit drooling.” 

“This is seventy grand,” he repeated. “Wait, Akaashi, this is _ mine _mine? Oh, my fuck—Akaashi, hey, can we do a photoshoot? Please?” Keiji clasped a hand over his mouth to laugh. As it died down, he slowly removed his hand while nodding.

“Yeah.”

Keiji placed the mask back over his face and stood, walking over to the railing of the dock. He looked over at the water and then over at Koutarou. 

_ ‘What would be ‘the perfect moment’ today?’ _ Keiji’s fingers locked around each other.

Koutarou had taken the camera out and set it around his neck. He stared at it for a few moments before he clicked only a few buttons, eyes lighting up. As he brought it to his face, Keiji smiled. He really seemed happy with the camera, and Keiji was glad.

It was silence for a few minutes. Maybe two. Then, from the water, a ship horn honked, and Keiji looked in that direction.

_ Click. _

Keiji heard the camera—much louder than his previous one. He watched as Koutarou pulled the camera away from his face and clicked the few buttons to get to the photos. Koutarou stared and stared. Keiji waited for what he had to say.

“Akaashi?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I have one without the mask? I won’t post it, I just—“ Koutarou’s finger lightly scratched the side of the camera, and he seemed nervous. “You’re really pretty. I just want it.”

“You wouldn’t post it?” Keiji asked. Koutarou shook his head, eyes finally moving up to Keiji.

“No. I want people to see my work and go ‘Wow, look at that photography! I want to see more of that!’ And I don’t want them to say that just because there’s the prettiest, famous actor in my photos. I’m not using you for my work to get famous by using your title or anything,” Koutarou said. His posture started to get worse, slouching down in what seemed to be embarrassment. “It’s just you’re really pretty, and I enjoy your company, and you’re really awesome and sweet and kind—“

“Bokuto, shut up and take the picture,” Keiji mumbled as he pulled the medical mask down off his face. Koutarou perked up and smiled, the camera being brought to his face once more. 

Koutarou got at least 3 pictures without Keiji having his mask on. He wanted to take more, but Keiji sneezed once, the breeze freezing him. Koutarou refused to let Keij stay out any later than he made him stay out and slipped off his white jacket—the same one he wore the day of the mugging. Keiji just noticed the yellow lines running down the sides. He walked over to Keiji and set it on his shoulders, smile wide.

“You’re wearing a short sleeve, Bokuto—“

“I’m fine, ‘Kaashi.” He picked up the camera and carefully set it in the case, slinging that on his shoulder. “Warm-blooded.” Keiji smiled and nodded, arms slipping through the holes of the sweater. 

On the entire walk home, Koutarou was going on about how the camera was amazing, telling Keiji how thankful he was for it, how good the camera was, going off about the camera’s features. Keiji just smiled as he listened to him talk, his hands were dug deep in the pockets of Koutarou’s jacket.

Koutarou and Keiji stopped at the front of Keiji’s apartment building (now that Koutarou knew where he lived, he walked him _ all _ the way home). 

“So, about this party?” Koutarou asked. 

“Just head to Oikawa’s two hours before the party, and he’d be happy to set you up with something.”

“Will you be there?”

Keiji nodded, “Yeah, I bring my stuff over there and get ready.”

“And this party is..? When?”

Keiji smiled, “The nineteenth. Starts at 5 and goes until--God, knows how long they’re going to stay. I won’t stay long. Just make sure you’re at Oikawa’s at 3.” Koutarou nodded. “Here,” Keiji said while slipping off Koutarou’s jacket. He handed it to him, honestly missing the jacket’s warm feeling. “Thanks, Bokuto.”

“No problem, ‘Kaashi. Night!” Koutarou started to walk off, back the direction he came. He _ really _ went out of the way just to walk Keiji home.

Keiji smiled, “Night.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party is finally here! Keiji is extremely nervous. Literally though, why? He's used to this.

###  **Chap. 7 **

**January 19th, 2020 **

Keiji was in Tooru’s bathroom staring at himself in the large mirror. He smoothed over on his dark blue jacket with shaky hands. His hands moved to fix the tie placement that sat over the white button-up.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Keiji heard from outside the door. 

_‘Bokuto_.'

“Bokuto, come in here!” Keiji could hear Tooru yell from outside the door. He wasn’t in a hallway bathroom that was in Tooru’s apartment, he was in _ Tooru’s _ bathroom that was attached to his bedroom. Honestly, Keiji didn't know why Tooru had such a big house since he was just one person. It was probably just to show off since he _had_ the money for it.

Keiji heard footsteps and then a door opening.

“Hey! Your place is pretty rich!”

“Yeah, it’s not cheap,” Tooru replied. “Here. There’s another bathroom down the hall. I got this ready for you.”

“Thanks, Oikawa!” There were more footsteps leaving away, and then there was a bang on the bathroom door Akaashi was in.

“Akaashi, get your ass out here!” Keiji felt the wave of anxiety hit him and he shuddered, jumping at the sudden banging on the door. He still reached toward the door handle and twisted it to open it. When he opened the door, Keiji was met with Tooru standing there, arms crossed. Tooru wore a pair of light blue pants with a matching jacket. Underneath that was a plain white button-up, and he skipped the tie as he usually tended to do. 

“Nice.” Tooru whistled at him like he did every time when he got ready at one of these events. “You look hot.”

“Shut up, Oikawa.”

“Hey, Oikawa, how’s this?” Koutarou asked, popping in the doorway and sliding in his socks on the wooden floor. “Like this white really goes with this blue?” Koutarou’s outfit was the opposite of Keiji’s. He had a white jacket and pants with a dark blue button-up underneath that. Like Tooru, he also skipped the tie but he only buttoned just one button. Keiji and Tooru had all of them buttoned.

Keiji took his eyes off Koutarou, staring down at his fingers while he messed with them. He was staring.

“Yeah, but can I do something with your hair?” Tooru asked while giving a disapproving click of his tongue. Koutarou stayed quiet as Keiji continued to mess with his fingers. His pointer finger wrapped around his other pointer finger, one hand would grab his middle finger on one hand and slightly bend the finger back and forth, his fingertips drumming against each other. “Bokuto?” Keiji looked up when Tooru asked for Koutarou’s attention. 

“Huh? Sorry, Oikawa,” Koutarou said with a nervous laugh, looking over at Tooru. He scratched the back of his head. “Just--You wanted what now?”

“Can I do something to your hair?” Koutarou looked over at Keiji real quick and then back at Tooru.

“Yeah!”

“Good. Sit there. Akaashi, can you start the car? This will only take a few moments.”

Keiji nodded and snatched the keys from Tooru’s desk. He headed downstairs as Tooru grabbed out some hair gel and a comb from his bathroom.

Koutarou sat on the chair in Tooru’s room, humming a tune he had heard on the radio earlier that day. Tooru walked behind him and began to comb out his hair--damn, was it long.

“Bokuto,” Tooru started to say, and Koutarou hummed, “Akaashi didn’t notice because he was too busy being nervous, but I saw you staring at him.” Koutarou felt his face heat up, and his back perked up.

“What?”

“When you were just,” Tooru grabbed a small amount of hair gel and smoothed it back, “unresponsive. You were staring at Akaashi.”

“Yeah,” Koutarou mumbled. “And?”

Tooru chuckled, “Nothing. There.” Tooru had smoothed back Koutarou’s hair, letting a few strands stick out. “There. Now, Akaashi won’t be able to resist you.”

“Fuck off.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Keiji came upstairs and looked in the bedroom, eyes locking with Tooru’s.

“Come on. You done?”

“Yeah, let’s go,” Tooru replied.

Tooru drove while Keiji rode shotgun, Koutarou in the back.

“We’ve done this a million times.”

“I know, Oikawa.”

“Then why are you nervous?”

“I’m not nervous.”

“You’re shaking.”

“Shut up.”

Tooru sighed, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. “Just breathe, idiot,” Tooru added, turning into the parking lot of the building Tooru and Keiji worked at. Obviously, they wouldn’t be working. The success party was held in one of the large rooms on the bottom floor specifically meant for holding events like this. Turning off the car, Tooru sighed while setting the keys in his pocket. He looked over at Keiji. “Look, Akaa--_Keiji_. Everyone there _ loves _ you. You’re gonna be fine.” Keiji sighed and opened the door.

“I know. Let’s go, Oikawa.”

Koutarou got out with a stretch but it was interrupted by a gasp.

“Iwaizumi!” He said while running over to a car nearby. As he was running over, a man stepped out of the car, one hand reached up to fix his tie while the other closed the door. 

“Holy fucking shit,” Tooru mumbled as he walked over to stand next to Keiji. “Dude, he is _ so _ fucking hot. He could _ hit _ me--”

“Oikawa, please stop talking.”

Hajime wore black pants and a jacket with a light blue button-up in addition to a black tie. He and Koutarou made their way over, both chatting about something. Tooru just wasn’t listening. He was too far into looking Hajime up and down about a million times. Keiji couldn’t make fun of him for doing it either. He might have been staring at Koutarou. Yes. Maybe he was. His hair really did look good, and Koutarou wearing that outfit was--a lot. He had never seen him so dressed up and formal.

“Shall we go?” Hajime asked with his hands deep in his suit pockets.

“I--I yeah, w--we should go,” Tooru stuttered. His hand went to the back of his neck, and his face was red along his cheeks. 

“Perfect. Let’s go.” Hajime started to head toward the building, and Koutarou followed. Keiji elbowed Tooru in the side.

“Hey, Oikawa, come on. He spoke three words.”

“Shut up. Let’s go.”

Keiji left Tooru’s side and walked next to Koutarou. He glanced over at him as they walked into the building. Koutarou was looking everywhere. His eyes looked at the ceiling, to the walls, to the floor. Keiji felt himself smile. It was adorable to see someone so fascinated by something that seemed so little to Keiji.

“Mr. Akaashi and Mr. Oikawa!” Even though the person running to them was only for Keiji and Tooru, they all looked over. “Mr. Sawamura was looking for you.”

“Thanks, Kindaichi,” Tooru spoke. Instead of making sure they were following with, Tooru started heading toward the party. That was his thing. To him, he was probably thinking something like he 'couldn’t afford to be a stuttering mess because of Hajime was just in his presence'. So, he would do what he did best. Work.

Keiji, Koutarou, and Hajime followed. They headed into a large set of double doors opening them to see a sea of people all in formal wear. Suits and dresses, a large, beautiful chandelier, a table on each side of the room holding food and refreshments. 

“Akaashi! Oikawa!” The familiar man headed their way, arms stretched out with one hand holding a glass of champagne. “You’ve made it.” Keiji grabbed onto Koutarou’s sleeve. Usually, he would do it to Tooru, but Koutarou was here for a reason and it wasn't just as his date. His arm snaked around Koutarou’s, and he slightly moved him closer to him.

“‘Kaashi?” Koutarou whispered under his breath.

“Sh,” Keiji shushed him.

“So, this new movie,” Daichi started, “it's coming along well.” 

“I agree,” Tooru said. He placed a hand on Keiji’s back with a hope that it would also calm him down at the same time. “Akaashi’s doing a great job as always.”

“I hope to see him in more movies. You’re getting that all in line, right, Oikawa?”

Tooru nodded, “Of course.” 

“Sawamura!”

Daichi let out a sigh. “Got to go. Catch up with you two later?” Keiji tightened his grip around Koutarou. God, the idea of _ another _conversation.

“We’ll be ready,” Tooru replied, and Keiji gave off a nod. Daichi walked away toward the men who called him. “Akaashi,” Tooru spoke, gathering Keiji’s attention. “_ Relax _.”

“I am relaxed, Oikawa,” Keiji mumbled. His eyes looked toward the ground.

“Your grip is just getting tighter and tighter on Bokuto.” Keiji looked down at his arm that was wrapped around Koutarou’s. His hand was grabbing stronger onto his arm and the sleeve. He let go a little bit.

“Sorry, Bokuto.”

“It’s fine, ‘Kaashi! I don’t know what you’re so worried about though,” Koutarou spoke. “He clearly respects you so much that he didn’t even ask about Iwaizumi and I.”

“Speaking of Iwaizumi,” Tooru began to say as he turned toward Hajime, “you’re hot and the director of Akaashi’s movie two movies ago is here. Come on. I want to rub you in his fucking face.” Tooru wrapped his arm around Hajime’s and started to drag him further into the crowd of people. 

Hajime chuckled, “Alright.”

Koutarou gave a smile and waved off to Hajime and Tooru, and then his eyes looked back over at Keiji. His grip was still holding tight onto Koutarou, he seemed to be shaking--a little pale even? Why _ was _ he so nervous

_ ‘I _ _ have _ _ done this a million times. Oikawa is right, so why am I so fucking nervous? Is it because Bokuto is here?’ _ Keiji looked over at him, eyes locking with him. He hadn’t even realized that Koutarou was already looking at him. Making eye contact wasn't Keiji's reason for looking at him, he just wanted to. _‘No, that doesn’t make sense. He’s the only thing keeping me calm.’ _

“Hey, Akaashi, let’s go get a drink,” Koutarou spoke. “Maybe it’ll calm you down.” Keiji nodded, and Koutarou started to make his way to the drink table, but Keiji stopped him. His arm was still snaked around Koutarou’s. “What’s wrong?” Koutarou asked. Keiji just moved his hand down without saying a word and slipped his fingers between Koutarou’s. His hand seemed to fit perfectly clasped together with Koutarou's.

“Nothing. Let’s go.” Keiji and Koutarou headed over to the table which held all the drinks. Koutarou handed him a glass of champagne and then grabbed one for himself.

“Wait,” Keiji said. He raised the glass to his lips and quickly chugged it down. Koutarou raised his eyebrows in surprise and handed Keiji his own glass since Keiji had just then and there emptied his in seconds. After that, he picked up one for himself again. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, don’t mention it,” Koutarou kind of just mumbled in surprise.

Keiji made Koutarou hang in the back with him where Koutarou would stand in front of Keiji so that no one could actually see him. Koutarou would calm him down by bringing him glasses of champagne and telling him some wack stories of his travels for photography. Of course, Keiji tuned everything out, and he had his entire focus on Koutarou and his stories.

“You really did that?” 

“I didn’t think the ocean would be _ that _ salty!” 

Keiji covered his hand to stifle a laugh. “It’s the _ocean_, Bokuto,” Keiji said while removing his hand. It moved back to his pocket though he kind of wanted to hold Koutarou’s hand again. There was no excuse to though, so he couldn't pull himself to make such a bold move. His other glass held the almost empty glass of champagne--it was maybe his third one in the past hour.

“I thought they were just overexaggerating.” 

“No,” Keiji chuckled. If he was being honest, he could feel himself beginning to get a little tipsy. Alcohol was all new to him since he had recently turned of drinking age. 

“Akaashi, are you good?”

“Huh?”

“You’re wobbling a little, your face is all red.”

“I’m fine,” Keiji said--slurred. It was slurred. 

“Come on. We’re gonna find Oikawa and Iwaizumi and tell them I’m taking you home.” Koutarou grabbed the champagne glass from Keiji and grabbed Keiji's newly freed hand, his fingers lacing between them quickly. He held two glasses in one hand as he started to drag Keiji to find Tooru and Hajime. As they passed a waiter who held a serving plate, Koutarou set the glasses down and kept walking. He looked around, eyes scanning over the room. 

“There!” Koutarou headed in the direction he was looking while still dragging Keiji along with him. They walked up to the two who were talking by themselves--they probably just got a break from getting talked to by producers or directors or something. Koutarou slapped a hand on Hajime’s shoulder which got his attention pretty quickly.

“Iwaizumi! Oikawa! Hey, listen, I’m gonna take Akaashi home.”

“Huh, why?” Tooru asked, and he turned his head a little.

“Little bit too much champagne.”

Tooru sighed, “I _ told _ him he couldn’t hold his liquor.”

“Shut up, Oikawa,” Keiji mumbled quietly. He was drunk, sure, but he wasn’t _ that _ drunk. 

“Sure, buddy.” Tooru let out another sigh. “Well, I still have to stay to talk to other executives and shit, and I want Iwaizumi here so I can have some stud with me so we’re gonna stay. Be careful about getting home. Take care of him for me.”

Koutarou nodded, “Of course.”

**~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~**

Koutarou had set his jacket on Keiji’s shoulders since it was cold and the jacket Keiji was wearing was thin. Since he had been there tons of times before, getting to Keiji’s apartment was easy as all hell. He knew exactly where to go, which key to use on Keiji’s key set he dug from his pocket, which light switch it was to turn on the hallway light, which room was Keiji’s bedroom to set him comfortably in bed.

Koutarou laid him down, staring down at the drunk celebrity who was passed out on the bed. He sighed, and Koutarou took off his shoes, the jacket, and his belt for him, but he didn’t undress him any more than that. Koutarou headed into the kitchen and got a glass of ice, setting that on Keiji’s nightstand so it would be cold water by the time he woke up. Then he headed into the bathroom and grabbed the garbage can, placing that beside his bed incase the hangover would result in vomiting. 

After that, Koutarou was a bit too tired to head back home, so instead, he crashed on the couch, knowing that Keiji really wouldn’t mind. He’d be able to be there for Keiji once he woke up, so Koutarou slept quickly. He wanted to be awake in time to make Keiji the best breakfast for a hangover.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keiji and Tooru are hanging out at Tooru's in the beginning, just talking. Tooru tries to drill into Keiji about Koutarou--you know? The usual that happens when they hang out ever since Keiji had met Koutarou.
> 
> The two head to a meeting and are met with someone who is sadly familiar to Keiji, and Tooru doesn't want him anywhere near him (but to be honest, Keiji doesn't want to be near him either). So, as if Tooru is his mom, Keiji is sent off to hang out with Koutarou and Tetsurou.

###  **Chap. 8 **

**January 25th, 2020**

Keiji flipped the page in the random book he was looking at. It was something he got from Koutarou about photography. He wasn’t actually reading it since he was trying to pay attention to whatever Tooru was babbling on about.

“He’s such a dick! Oh, my god.” Tooru clicked the left click of the mouse so hard Keiji thought he would break the mouse. “Like, seriously, I can do whatever the fuck I want to do with you. You don’t _ have _ to play the role you’re playing. All you have to do is _ act _ in the movie. That’s all the fucking contract says.”

“Then tell him that, Oikawa,” Keiji mumbled. He didn’t look up from the book as he flipped to the next page, eyes scamming over the pictures. Keiji let out this small huff of air and picked up his phone, eyes finding the Instagram app. He typed in Koutarou’s @ he had memorized by now.

“I can’t. He’ll try to do some fucking shit and make it seem like _ I _ don’t know what the fuck I’m doing.” Tooru groaned. “I’ve been a goddamn manager for 3 years. I know what the fuck I’m doing.” Keiji scrolled through Koutarou’s Instagram, and he looked over at the photos they took. It was weird seeing him in photos that weren’t heavily popular, but they still had a lot of likes. Koutarou had a large following for being just an Instagram photographer. People seemed to really like this content. “I feel like you’re not even listening to me.”

“Vaguely.” Tooru sighed, feet kicking the ground to slide away from the computer at his desk. He leaned over on the bed, eyes catching what Keiji was looking at. 

“Amuse me. I need something other than that dickhead to focus on. Tell me about you and Bokuto.”

“What about us?” Keiji asked. Still, he wasn’t taking his eyes away from the page. 

_ ‘’My personal account’?’ _ Keiji read that in Koutarou’s bio, and he clicked on the link to another Instagram page. There were pictures of him with Tetsurou and Hajime--even that one guy that Hajime was yelling at that one day in front of Connor’s.

“You’re _ clearly _ something. You’re stalking his page right now, Akaashi.”

“Shut up. You and Iwaizumi and clearly something.”

“I _ wish _ . He is so fucking hot.” Keiji rolled his eyes. “It’s not like we spend like every chance we can with each other. _ You two _on the other hand squeeze in a ‘photoshoot’ whenever you can.”

“Don’t put it in quotes. It is a photoshoot.” Keiji finally made eye contact with Tooru who had this smug expression plastered on his face. “And we’re business partners. That’s it.”

“So nothing happened after he took you home from that party?”

“I mean,” Keiji started to say, looking down again. His fingers started to mess with the edge of his phone case. “I woke up feeling sick, and he just made me breakfast, made sure I had everything I needed like water and a cold towel or whatever, but that’s nothing. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Sureeee,” Tooru dragged out. He sat back up in his seat and leaned his back against the backrest, legs and arms crossing. “Go on a date.”

“Go on a date with Iwaizumi.”

“Double date!”

Keiji groaned, “No. Shut up, and get to work. I don’t pay you for nothing.”

“Whatever,” Tooru said, sliding back by the desk. “It’s clear you’re interested in him.”

“What can I say? He’s an interesting guy. He’s devoted to something.”

“Mhm. Go on, Akaashi.”

Keiji rolled his eyes, “There’s nothing more to talk about. I just like his care for his work, how much he thinks about it, the work he puts into it, his face that lights up when he takes a picture, his smile, that look in his eyes--”

“Dude, you are _ so _ fucking for him.”

“Shut up.”

**~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~**

Keiji and Tooru had another meeting planned that afternoon, so just a few hours after that, they started getting ready. Tooru wore this white suit jacket like he always did, light blue button-up inside. He always seemed to skip the tie, but at least he buttoned his jacket. Keiji stuck with the dark blue suit and tie, white button-up underneath.

Tooru drove like he always did. He claimed it was because ‘he was the manager’, but Keiji was sure it was because he liked the idea of being the man literally behind the wheel. Once they got into the building, Tooru did his usual wave to the secretary who gave them a nod to let them walk past. They headed to the back to the same meeting room they always went to. 

Tooru stopped Keiji, making sure he was alright like he _ always _ did _ every time _ before _ every _ meeting. He straightened out his jacket for him, fixed his messy, black hair.

“I’m fine,” Keiji spoke. “Let’s go.”

Tooru nodded and opened the door, hand moving to be pressed against his back as he lightly pushed Keiji in. 

When Keiji saw one of the men in the room, _ that’s _ when he started shaking. Still, he was pushed into the room, and the door was closed behind him. There was no escape.

“I thought you said you were okay,” Tooru whispered to Keiji right away, noticing his strange behavior. Keiji grabbed onto Tooru’s sleeve, pulling it and stretching the sleeve.

“Tooru,” Keiji started, using his first name just to let him know how serious he was, “that’s him.”

“That’s _ who _?”

“The guy. That’s the guy who mugged Bokuto and I and stole his camera.” Tooru slightly looked over. There were at least four men.

“Which one?”

“The one in the yellow suit. Closest to the window.”

“Are you sure?”

“A hundred percent positive,” Keiji mumbled. “What do we do?” Tooru’s eyes squinted in on the guy, and Keiji could just tell he planning something other than contacting the police. 

“I’ve got something in mind. Just act normally.” Keiji took a deep breath, his chest slowly rising and dropping fast. “Akaashi, Keiji, it’s _ acting _. Act. You are a professional.”

“I know, Oikawa.”

“Then you’re gonna be okay.”

The meeting went by smoothly with the guy seemingly not recognizing that it was Keiji who he had robbed. That didn’t stop Tooru from giving him hard flares and hard eyes, but he would still keep this expression on his face as if he were a friend. Keiji honestly thought Tooru could be an actor with the way he could act so kindly fake. 

On the walk to Tooru’s office, he snagged Kindaichi in the hallway. 

“Hey, tall guy in my last meeting, yellow top, black pants, dressed like a fucking bumblebee.”

“What about him?” Kindaichi asked.

“I want his information.”

“His...Information?”

“Name, address, birthplace, birthday, personal intel, last job, college, high school, anything.” Kindaichi stared at Tooru for a good few seconds before slowly nodding and heading down the hall. “Let’s go, Akaashi.” Keiji followed Tooru into his office and sat down on his couch, arms leaning over on his knees. He heard Tooru’s phone pad being clicked a bunch, but he didn’t look up to see what he was doing.

It was when he said the name of who he called.

“Bokuto?” Keiji looked over, eyebrows lifting at the name, posture straightening. “Yeah, I have a favor to ask of you.” Keiji brought a leg up to sit on the couch with him, back leaned against the couch. “Just come pick up Akaashi from work.”

_ ‘Seriously, Oikawa?’ _

“Yeah. No, yeah, just meet him outside the front.” Tooru chewed the inside of his lip, one phone holding the phone to his ear, the other hand lazily dragging the tip of a pencil on a random piece of paper sitting on his desk. “Sure, I don’t think he’d care. No, I don’t need to ask him. He’s fine with it. Thanks, Bokuto.” Tooru set the phone back down, and his eyes went to Keiji. There was this look of seriousness which then changed to raised eyebrows. “You’re gonna be at the _ movies _ with _ Bokuto _.” Keiji’s fingers unconsciously fiddled with each other. He didn’t hate the idea. Keiji enjoyed Koutarou’s presence.

“And?”

“It’s romantic. Now,” Tooru began as he walked over to a small closet that sat behind his desk in his office. He opened it and reached in pulling out a white hoodie and pair of black jeans. “Get dressed. I doubt you want to hang out in a theater dressed in a suit and tie.” Keiji stood up and walked over, taking the clothes from Tooru and heading into the bathroom also connected to his office. To be honest, Keiji didn’t know how Tooru had such a nice, privileged office. Maybe it was because of his connections or how popular he was or merely just how _ good _ he was at being a manager and ordering people around.

As he was getting dressed in the bathroom, Keiji heard a knock on the office door. Tooru heard him say thank you so Keiji just guessed it was Kindaichi giving Tooru the papers he asked for. When he got out, Tooru was leaned over the desk already flipping through the papers. Tooru looked up for a second from the papers at Keiji, but his eyes quickly moved back while his hand pointed to sunglasses and a new mask on the desk in front of him.

“There. Bokuto should be here at any moment.” Keiji walked over and slipped on the mask. He watched as Tooru focused on reading every line.

“What are you planning with this?”

“Going for long term damage.”

“Huh?”

Tooru looked up, “Long term. I’m gonna destroy his career. Sure, a man can go to jail or whatever for mugging but never serving time for something you’ve been proven guilty about?” Tooru chuckled, eyes looking back down toward the paper. “That’s another type of guilt.”

“You’re terrifying.”

“I know, sweetie. Go find your boyfriend now.”

Keiji sighed, “Whatever, Oikawa.”

Keiji made his way down the hallway, slipping the sunglasses on his face on his walk down. When he got into the waiting room with the secretary, Koutarou was there. He leaned against the counter and was having a friendly conversation with her. Though, right when he saw Keiji out of the corner of his eye, his attention completely left her and went straight to him.

“Akaashi!”

“Hey, Bokuto.”

“Ready?” Keiji nodded. “Sweet,” he said with a smile. “See ya,” Koutarou said with a wave to the receptionist while heading toward the door. Keiji followed with. 

When they got out there, there was Tetsurou. He was leaned against the side of the building, one hand in his pocket with the other one on his phone. When the doors opened, Tetsurou looked over, and a small grin moved on his face.

“There you are, you ugly fucking owl.”

“Shut up, pussy,” Koutarou snapped back while jerking forward a little as his way to square up on Tetsurou. He turned to Keiji, and his frown turned into a smile. “Ready to head out, Shi?”

_ ‘’Shi’. I haven’t heard that from him in a while.’ _ Keiji’s eyes looked over at Tetsurou for a hot moment and then back at Koutarou. _ ‘Probably because Kuroo doesn’t know who I am. I can’t believe he remembered to keep me hidden like that.’ _ Keiji smiled softly and nodded,

“Let’s go!”

The three started walking down the street with Koutarou standing in the middle, Keiji on the right, Tetsurou on the left of him. 

“Where are we going, Bokuto?” 

“Well, this bitch and I were planning to go see some movie in the theaters. Oikawa said that you would be okay if you joined?”

Keiji nodded, “I don’t mind.”

“Perfect!”

As they got to the movie theater and entered the building, Keiji saw the movie choices. He happened to be _ in _ one of them. One of the main characters--the true main character’s best friend. So, he was really more like a supporting main. While standing in line to get movie tickets, Koutarou was _ staring _at the poster carefully, Tetsurou was just keeping his eyes glued to the sign while trying to figure out what he wanted to order, and Keiji was carefully watching Koutarou. 

“Akaashi, is that--” Koutarou finally asked in a hushed whisper so only Keiji could hear, and Keiji cut him off to respond.

“Yes, it is.”

“Wow, you--” Keiji lightly slapped him on the arm, and Koutarou pulled his eyes away from the poster and looked at Keiji, leaning toward him a little. “Pretty.”

“Shut up. It’s our turn in line.”

Even though Keiji had way more than enough money to pay for his own things, Koutarou paid for his things.

“What do you want? Smarties? M&Ms? Red Hots? Mints? Skittles? Reeses? Butterfingers--?”

“You don’t have to pay for me, Bokuto.”

“What’s your favorite candy?”

Keiji sighed, eyes moving to look at the ground as he fiddled his fingers, “M&Ms.”

“Favorite drink?”

“HIC.” (A/N: I'M SORRY I LOVE HIC).

“Hey, Miss!” Koutarou said right away while he grabbed the girl’s attention who stood behind the counter. “Can I get a medium HIC, pack of M&Ms, and a large bag of popcorn? Ooh, ooh, throw in a medium Sprite too! I love Sprite.” The girl smiled and nodded, getting Koutarou’s order ready.

“Thanks, Bokuto,” he mumbled. Koutarou nodded with a smile.

They headed into the theater room and stayed up near the top where the number of people was shy. Everyone in the theater mostly sat down at the bottom. Keiji sat on Koutarou’s left, Tetsurou on his right. Keiji pulled the shades off his face and slipped them in his pocket. He knew that Tetsurou wouldn’t be able to see his face since there was no light and he wouldn’t be looking at him.

Once the movie had started and Keiji made his first appearance on screen, Kouatorou looked over at him, wiggling his eyebrows. Keiji put a hand over his mouth, stifling his laughter. 

_ ‘Ridiculous.’ _ He thought while slowly moving his hand back down on the armrest between the two of them. Koutarou leaned over a little.

“Akaashi, that’s _ you _,” he whispered. Keiji had to cover his mouth again to laugh. God, he was such an idiot.

This adorable fucking idiot.

The ways his eyes were glowing even in the dark, and his smile that showed off his bright, white teeth. Keiji would probably never get sick of his excited expressions.

“Yes. I know, Bokuto.”

“That’s so epic,” Koutarou whispered. He shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth while he stared back at the screen, though, Keiji’s eyes never left Koutarou. “Lifke, you’re pho phretty on schreen.” (“Like, you’re so pretty on screen.”).

“Shh, Bokuto.” Keiji got back to watching the big screen, but it seemed to just make him more tired. He had to get up so early for that stupid meeting, and that guy who mugged him just stressed him out more, wasting more of his precious, low energy. Not to mention he had stayed up late going through his schedule for Tooru for next month the night before.

His head started to slope down a little, leaning toward Koutarou. Obviously, that observant owl noticed. Though, what he did next was not something that Keiji expected. Usually, he found Koutarou to be pretty straight forward, but instead of just straight up putting his arm around Keiji, he leaned over toward Tetsurou and whispered something in his ear all while nonchalantly putting his arm on the back of Keiji’s chair as if he needed it there to be able to lean toward Tetsurou.

Keiji didn’t normally have it happen to him but his face heated up a little bit. He let his head lean a little more, the tip of his hair that stuck out from the hoodie grazing Koutarou’s shoulder. Slowly, he let his head fully rest on Koutarou, and Koutarou’s hand reached up, hand moving down the hoodie to run his fingers a few times through Keiji’s hair. It felt comforting, and slowly, it put Keiji to sleep. Once he dozed off, Koutarou didn’t want to do something that would wake him up, so he moved the hoodie back up slowly and rested his arm back down on the chair behind him.

**~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~**

“Akaashi, wake up,” Koutarou whispered, and Keiji slowly opened his eyes, moving his hand up to rub them as if he were a tired child. 

“Mhm?”

“Time to go.” Keiji sat up, looking around the theater. The big screen was off, the lights were on, the theater was empty--even Tetsurou.

“Where’s Kuroo?”

“I told him I was gonna walk you home, so I sent him back. He has work that needs to be done anyhow.” Koutarou stood up, arms moving up above his head stretched far up. “Ahh, feels good to stretch. Come on, ‘Kaashi.”

It was dark as they walked--it always seemed to be night, but to be fair, it was a pretty long movie and that meeting lasted a long while. Keiji walked with his hands buried deep in his pockets, mask resting on his chin since it was dark enough out for no one to be out or to notice him if they saw him. He was still really tired--especially since he was half awake. Part of him honestly wanted to wrap his arm around Koutarou’s while he walked as he did during the party they went to, but he held himself back.

Through the walk, he was kind of spacing out. Just walking. Though, he was snapped to reality when he felt something warm and heavy drape across his shoulders.

“Bokuto?” Keiji slowly mumbled when he came to a stop, slowly looking over at Koutarou. Koutarou smiled, stopped in front of him and pulled the jacket a little more over Keiji’s shoulders.

“You looked cold. Come on.”

“But you’re going to get cold.”

Koutarou shrugged, “Maybe, but I’m warm-blooded.”

They walked for a little bit in silence.

“Hey,” Keiji started, “wanna snap some photos?”

“I don’t have my camera.”

“You’ve got a phone camera,” Keiji suggested while continuing to walk forward. He stared up at the sky while waiting for a response from Koutarou, but he just didn’t seem to get one. For once, Koutarou was staying silent, so he stopped and turned. That’s when he heard it.

_ Click _. 

Keiji smiled, and as he made his way over to Koutarou to look at the picture he was staring down at. The light from the picture slapped Koutarou in the face, and Keiji was able to see just Koutarou’s expression in the dark. That smile on Koutarou’s face as he stared at it. 

Keiji fucking loved it. 

“Pretty,” Koutarou let slip past his lips. “Look at the way the street light is outlining you--and the white hoodie making it pop too.” As Koutarou was explaining, his finger was pointing, dragging an outline around Keiji’s frame. “You’re at the perfect distance away from the camera, the _ tone _\--”

_ ‘Tone?’ _

Though, Keiji smiled. “I don’t understand how you can get so much from one photo,” he said.

“Call it a curse,” Koutarou said with a shrug while letting his phone slip into his pocket.

“I wouldn’t.”

“Huh?”

“It makes you who you are, and I like you.”

A grin stretched across Koutarou’s face. “You like me? Awe, Akaashi--”

“Shut up, Bokuto.”

“I like you too!” Keiji’s face got hot, and he slipped the medical mask back over his face in an effort to hide it.

“Let’s go.” Keiji started to walk again, and Koutarou went to follow though he stopped when his phone started to ring his pocket. That’s when Keiji stopped as well and turned, watching as Koutarou had his phone already pulled out of his pocket, eyes staring down at the caller ID.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO SO SO SORRY FOR THE CLIFFHANGER. THIS AND THE NEXT CHAPTER WERE ORIGINALLY ONE CHAPTER BUT IT WAS JUST WAY TOO LONG


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For all of you that love the Iwaoi on the side, this is the Iwaoi chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insert my two favorite headcanons:
> 
> -Sugawara acts like a crazy bitch 
> 
> -When Oikawa gets really nervous, he counts in prime numbers
> 
> I didn't come up with these, and where I got them are explained at the end!

###  **Chap. 9 **

**(Still) January 25th, 2020 (Last Chapter Continuation)**

Tooru had studied and _studied _that paper filled with that guy’s information. He made sure to keep a keen eye on him for the rest of the day. The guy ended up working in this back office behind reception. He wasn’t that important in the office, and Tooru figured that he just got some random office no one gave a shit about on the first floor. Tooru was standing in the hallway with his clipboard in his hands. 

“Oikawa, what are you doing?”

“Shut it, Kenma.” Kenma stood next to Tooru in the hallway while trying to figure what he was doing all the while playing games on his Nintendo. He stared down at it, playing it as he talked. 

“No, seriously. You look like you’re stalking your ex-boyfriend. Remember when you did that?” Tooru went to send a small swing his way, but Kenma dodged it while clicking some--what seemed to be random--buttons. “You’re mad ‘cause I’m right.”

“Kenma, I am going to fucking _skin you alive _.” 

“Fun.”

“Shut up.”

“Seriously, what are you doing?”

“Minding my business. You should try it sometime.”

“You are literally stalking someone. How are you minding your business?”

“Go to the fuck away.”

Kenma clicked his tongue. “Fine,” he said, finally walking off.

It all lasted until night, and Tooru barely had enough time to run up to his office and grab his jacket before catching to follow the guy outside. He stayed close behind him as he walked outside down the all too familiar street. The guy moved down an alleyway right between another building and Connor’s. The same place that Keiji and Koutarou got robbed in the first place.

Tooru kept his distance, wondering what he was doing just _waiting _in that alleyway. That was until he watched a girl walk near, and he saw the guy’s arm reach out and snatch her wrist. Tooru was about to jump in and be the hero of the situation. Maybe get the girl’s number.

Though, someone beat him to the punch. Literally.

A fist hit the guy in the face and sent him back. He let go of the girl, and the new hero grabbed the girl instead of heading after the guy who ended up scampering off. 

Tooru ran up to them and finally realized who it was.

Hajime Iwaizumi, that hot motherfucker.

“You alright, ma’am?” Hajime asked her, and she quickly nodded.

“Yes. Yes, thank you.”

“Head home safely, you hear?” He added while helping her to her feet. The girl nodded once more, mumbling another thank you before continuing her way down the street at a quick pace.

_‘My god that was so fucking hot.’_

“So, uh, Oikawa,” Hajime started to say, his hands in his jeans pockets. He wore a white t-shirt with a blue blazer on top of that, dark blue jeans that matched the blazer. Really, all too hot for Tooru to handle. “Why were you stalking that guy?”

“For all the reasons you just saw,” Tooru said while pointing down the alleyway with his thumb. “Dickhead is trying to mug people, and he successfully mugged Akaashi and Bokuto the other night.”

“Seriously? Bokuto let himself get robbed?” Tooru nodded. For some reason, words seemed to fail him in Hajime’s presence. “Weird. What were you planning to do when you caught him exactly?” 

Tooru turned a little and pointed to the cameras outside the store. He sighed, “But the store is closed.” Tooru put his hands on his hips and let out a big, dramatic sigh. “I don’t want to have to wait until morning. This is bullshit. I want--_ no _, I _need _revenge for Akaashi. No one robs my best friend and fucking gets away with it easy.” Hajime had a smile on his face while he pulled out his phone. Tooru watched carefully as he clicked a number to call and held it up to his ear.

“Hey, you’ve got my location, right? Yeah. I need to get inside.” Hajime waited for a few seconds. “Yes. Inside the store. Thanks.” He clicked to end the call and put the phone back in his pocket.

“Who _are _you?” Tooru asked. He really just called someone so quickly to have a small store in New York get unlocked _just _for Tooru.

“I’ve got connections to some large companies,” Hajime said while looking over at Connor’s. “Connor’s happens to be one.”

“That’s _really _fucking hot.”

Hajime chuckled, “Thanks.”

The two waited out in the front of Connor’s for Hajime’s friend who was coming with the key. Tooru didn’t know what to do or say. He stood leaned against the wall, hands clasped behind his back, feet kicking the sidewalk. Hajime was so chill while he leaned against the wall.

_‘I never knew a wall lean could be so fucking hot.” _Haime still had his hands in both his pockets with the back of his head leaned against the wall, he stared up at the sky where a few stars populated. Hajime slowly let it a huff of air, a string of warm, transparent fog escaping his lips. Tooru felt his fucking heart skip a beat. 

“Hajime!” Hajime and Tooru both looked over. A quite short man in a white jacket that went a little past his waist was there. He had a black scarf wrapped around his neck, hands safely covered by some gloves.

“There you are,” Hajime said while he approached him. “You think you’re bundled up enough?”

“Shut the fuck up. It’s cold as shit,” he said. As he pulled some keys out of his pocket and handed them to Hajime, he sighed. “Here,” he said. Finally, he seemed to notice Tooru. “Who’s the cutie?” Well, that seemed to warm Tooru’s face up from the cold. Hajime chuckled—probably just at how red that made Tooru. 

“Tooru Oikawa,” Hajime answered for Tooru.

“Huh. Cool.” He said, hands moving to his pockets, and he made eye contact with Tooru. “Hi, I’m your new love interest.” 

“Uh-huh,” Tooru slowly said. His eyes moved to watch Hajime as he unlocked the door. Hajime has rolled his eyes while turning the key. 

“Koushi Sugawara,” Hajime said while opening the door.

“You didn’t have to sell me out like that,” Koushi said. Once Hajime pushed open the door, Koushi jumped on him, arms wrapping over his shoulders. “Hey, hey, what are we doing?” Hajime pulled him off him with a sigh and left into the back, heading to the back office. Koushi walked up to the counter and planted his palms on it, then he proceeded to literally jump onto the counter and stand on two feet. Tooru walked in slowly behind him, wondering just what kind of person Koushi was. “Hey, Hajime, are we stealing?” Koushi asked.

“No, dumbass.” Hajime looked through the doorway and waved for Tooru. “Oikawa, come here.” Tooru kept his eyes on Koushi for a little bit, watching as he looked up at the light and tapped the glass cover with his fingernail. He moved to ignore him and headed into the back office with Hajime. 

Hajime sat at a desk which was in the corner, hand on his chin. “I’m not sure how to get to the cameras. Do you know?” Tooru shook his head. “Guess we have to call in an expert.” Hajime pulled his phone out once again, clicking a number to call. “Hey, idiot.”

_“Uncalled for!”_

_‘Bokuto.’_

“You know Connor’s?” Now, Tooru couldn’t hear Koutarou on the other end anymore. “Could you get here?” Hajime paused. “Thanks.”

“Bokuto?” Tooru asked when Hajime hung up the phone.

“He’s a camera nerd.” Hajime leaned back in the office chair, a pen that he picked off the desk twirled through his fingers. “He said he was close by.” Tooru nodded. He was about to say something like ask about Koushi. However, a crash from the other room stopped that. Hajime sighed and rose from the chair. He headed out the office with Tooru peering over his shoulder. 

Koushi had knocked over, thankfully, just a table. The table was on its side with one of Koushi’s legs laying on top of it, the other leg was laying flat on the ground, his back was on the ground, and he stared up at the ceiling.

“Hey, Hajime.”

“Can you stay still for like three minutes?”

“No.” Hajime sighed and walked over, grabbing Koushi by the shoulders and pulling him to his feet. Koushi stood off to the side, brushing off his shoulder as if he got debris on it then crossed his arms with a pout. Hajime picked up the table and set it back on all fours. 

The bell ringing at the door got all their attention.

“Suga!” Koutarou called out. Tooru thought he was really going to hug him, but once he got to him, Koutarou punched him right in the face.

“Bokuto!” Keiji yelled as he came into the store behind him. Koushi fell on the ground landing straight on his ass. A hand propped him up and another rubbed his chin.

“What was that for?”

“You know what.” 

“The SD card thing?” Koushi stood up with a sigh. “I said I was sorry! It was an accident!”

“You took my SD card out of my camera and threw it into the ocean! How in the fuck does that lead up to an accident?”

Koushi slowly started cracking up. “Yeah, I totally did it on purpose.” Koutarou went to do _something _to Koushi again, but Keiji stepped in, grabbing Koutarou by the arm and pulling him back. 

“No, Bokuto,” Keiji said while pulling down the face mask. 

“Holy shit, is that Keiji Akaashi?”

“Bokuto, the back room with Iwaizumi,” Tooru ordered. He felt good to be in charge. Koutarou nodded with a hum and left into the back room to go meet with Hajime.

“I’ve met my fair share of famous people but an Akaashi?” Koushi whistled. “Damn.”

“Yeah,” Keiji mumbled. 

“You’re Bo’s boyfriend? I mean, you’re wearing his jacket on your shoulders.”

“Yes,” Tooru blurted in with a smirk. 

“No,” Keiji said while smacking Tooru then proceeded to pull the jacket over his shoulders more. “No, we’re not.”

“Aw, come on. You guys are like the peanut butter to each other’s jelly.”

“Did you know,” Tooru started to say, “that Akaashi only smiles around Bokuto?”

“Exactly. Like salt and pepper. They’re complete opposites and together they’re just--chef kiss.” Koushi talked like he knew the two of them so well. It was strange how he could give such an accurate description of their relationship having just met them.

“Can you two shut up please?” Keiji mumbled.

“What are you two talking about?” Koutarou asked while walking out of the back room with Hajime who hit the light switch and closed the door on his way out.

“Nothing,” Keiji quickly said. 

“Oh, it was something.” Keiji stepped on Tooru’s foot. “Ow.” Hajime walked over while twirling a USB between his fingers. 

“What do you plan on doing with this? Turning it into the police?” Hajime asked.

“No,” Tooru said while snatching the USB, “I’ve got a better idea. Thanks, Bokuto, Iwaizumi.”

“Of course!” Koutarou said with a grin. “Ready, ‘Kaashi?” Keiji nodded, and Koutarou started to head toward the door. He was stopped when Tooru grabbed his arm.

“You’re _wearing_ _his_ jacket.”

“Shut up.”

“I’m just saying,” Tooru said while smirking. “See you.”

Keiji nodded and followed Koutarou out the store.

The remaining three stood outside the store, and Hajime had made sure to have Koushi lock it. Tooru was fixing his jacket making sure that he was completely zipped up and wouldn’t get cold. He turned to Hajime who was telling Koushi something.

“Head _straight _home.”

“I will. Jesus.” Koushi looked at Tooru, waved and winked, and headed down the sidewalk. Hajime waited until Koushi was far down the sidewalk and on the correct way home before turning to Tooru.

“Let me walk you home?” Hajime asked. Tooru felt his face heat up. Some hot guy just offered to walk him home. Quickly, Tooru nodded. 

Damn, he was so nervous.

“Two, three, five, seven, nine, eleven, thirteen, seventeen, nineteen, twenty-three--”

“What are you doing?” Hajime stopped walking and grabbed Tooru’s arm to stop him from walking as well. 

“Huh?” Tooru asked. “Oh, I repeat prime numbers when I’m nervous.”

Hajime laughed, “Seriously?” Tooru nodded. “You remember what prime numbers even are?”

_‘Twenty-nine, thirty-one, thirty-seven, forty-one--’_

“You don’t?”

“No.”

“They just can’t be divided by anything but one. Nothing special--” Tooru mumbled as he continued walking. Hajime followed him, a smile on his face in amusement as he watched Tooru’s red face filled with embarrassment.

_‘Forty-three, forty-seven--’_

“Fifty-three, fifty-nine--”

“Why are you so nervous?” Hajime questioned.

“A really hot guy is walking me home,” Tooru quickly answered. 

Hajime chuckled again, eyes moving to stare up at the sky as he walked. “So, do you deal with numbers in your line of work?”

“Mhm? No, not normally. I’m just a manager. Akaashi’s manager.”

“How’s that for you?”

Tooru shrugged. The tense feeling in his shoulders was lifting. “I get to order people around, take care of my best friend, drink coffee and wear suits--” Tooru glanced over at Hajime real quick which was when he noticed he was looking at him. He moved his eyes back to watch in front of him, staring at the sidewalk. “I don’t hate it.”

“Mhm,” Hajime hummed.

“You? What do you do?” 

Hajime let out this sigh--a long one. “That guy--Koushi Sugawara. I watch him.”

“‘Watch him’?” Tooru raised an eyebrow. “How old is he?”

“He’s my age, but that guy needs a bodyguard, and his family pays me well to do that.”

“If you’re his bodyguard then why do I never see you with him?”

“He’s been with this therapist while we’re here.”

“Therapist?”

“Sugawara’s a little off his rocker.” Hajime shrugged. Tooru wanted to ask more about it, but they arrived at his house a lot sooner than he thought they would. He was a little sad when they stopped on the steps of his doorstep. “I’ve never said this but nice place,” Hajime said while looking up at the house. By house, just a really big apartment building on a pretty good side of New York.

“Thanks.”

“Anyway, you’re gonna get sick if you stay out in the cold so late,” Hajime said. He reached over, fingers stroking Tooru’s bangs and brushing them out of his face. Tooru felt his face get hot.

“Yeah,” he mumbled. Tooru _really _wanted to invite Hajime inside. He was probably just as cold--if not even more cold than Tooru was, but he couldn’t pull himself to do it. Seriously. Asking the hottest guy ever to come into your house? Kind of difficult to ask. “You should get home too,” he mumbled instead.

“Mhm. Night, Oikawa.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read a fic where Sugawara was this fucking crazy-ass psycho bitch who was obsessed with Daichi. In addition, Iwaizumi was the person to keep eyes on him since he's the only one who seems capable of handling Sugawara's absolute craziness (like how Iwaizumi got Kyoutani under his fucking orders), and it's now my favorite headcanon that goes into every single one of my fics. So, I hope you liked crazy, irresponsible Sugawara.
> 
> The prime number one was something I read off of Tumblr and I thought the concept was so fucking cute.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very long day for Keiji. He starts off with a photoshoot on the outskirts of New York, and after that, he heads to do a simple scene with Tooru at the office. To top that all off is a dinner with Tooru and Kenma.
> 
> Keiji thought it was finally over when he was heading home, but he ended up bumping into Koutarou, and there's something on the photographer's mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Akaashi and Bokuto go to the place I found off Google Maps again because I live in Michigan, and I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about.
> 
> There's something I'd like to ask you guys at the end in the notes!! Though, for now, don't worry about it, and enjoy the chapter!

###  **Chap. 10**

**January 30th, 2020**

Keiji walked the street while meeting up with Koutarou. Of course, he was dying to get there. He hadn’t met up with Koutarou in a while, and all he had been doing for the past days was working on set. Finally, he had a day off to have a photoshoot with Koutarou. 

In Keiji’s arms was Koutarou’s jacket since he wasn’t able to give it back last time. Koutarou dropped him off and left before Keiji could even remember he had the jacket placed on his shoulders in the first place.

“‘Kaashi!” Koutarou called out with a smile. He had on a pair of black, ripped jeans and this white shirt with the sleeves cut off. It _ really _made Keiji realize how ripped Koutarou really was. He had the camera case hanging on his shoulder. “Hey!” Koutarou ran up to Keiji with a smile. “Where we going this time?” Keiji smiled and shrugged. “I was thinking Avalon Cove. You been there?” Keiji shook his head. “I heard it was awesome looking! Come on!” He smiled and followed Koutarou.

“‘Avalon Cove’? Is that even in New York?” Keiji finally spoke.

“No, actually. It’s on the outside of it in New Jersey.” Koutarou shrugged. “Still, it’s gonna be epic!” Keiji couldn’t help but smile, and he nodded. “It’s an apartment complex, building thingy, but it’s still really gorgeous. I’ve seen pictures online on Google Maps, and I’ve always wanted to go there for a photoshoot.”

The trip was a little bit long, but they finally got there. They made it to this outside area with chairs and tables on a cement, circle stage. Flowers surrounded it with a few trees. Keiji took a seat at one of the tables while pulling his phone out of his back pocket. As he was opening social media--

_ Click_.

Keiji looked up. Koutarou stood a little bent down as he held the camera up to his face, eyes looking through the camera, a smile on his face. Slowly, he pulled it down, but he was quick to begin to flip through the photos. As he found the photo, he sat down across from Keiji. 

“Look,” Koutarou said, camera tilting toward Keiji to give him a look. 

“I really don’t see the beauty of it.”

“_ You _ are the beauty in it.”

“Shut up.” 

**~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~**

“Soooo, you got more acting to do today?” Koutarou asked with the camera hanging from around his neck as they walked back to where they first met up today--outside of Connor’s. Keiji nodded. “You work a lot, Akaashi. You deserve a big ass break.”

Keiji smiled, “Maybe I do.”

“You really do! How can you be so pretty with such little sleep?”

“Bokuto, shut up.”

“It’s a genuine question!” Koutarou laughed, and he placed a hand on Keiji’s shoulder as they walked. “Though, you’re not just a pretty face, Akaashi,” Koutarou added on. “You’re amazing. You can act, you’re kind, you’re fun to hang out with, you--”

“Bokuto.” Keiji cut him off. He felt the heat rising up in his face.

“Mhm?”

“Please stop talking.” Koutarou dropped him off at his work with a smile. Before Keiji had actually headed back into the building, he watched Koutarou walk down the street a little bit. Then he headed inside. 

Right when he stepped into the set room, Keiji was rushed by the people who did his hair and makeup then lastly, Tooru. He was made to quickly change to get his hair and makeup done.

“Akaashi, where were you?” Tooru questioned as a man pushed him down in a chair.

“I told you. I was meeting up with Bokuto.” Tooru sighed, saying nothing more as he walked away to talk to the director of the movie. When Tooru came back, he handed Keiji a script who read over it while getting his hair styled. It seemed simple enough. He had to just sit on a bed while he listened to the main character (celebrity) babble on about the other main character (photographer) while he gave some feedback and teased her a little bit.

They got on stage, and Keiji sat at the end of the bed, fingers messing with his own.

“Hey, Akaashi,” Tooru called out from behind the set before they started rolling. Keiji snapped his head up and looked over at him as he stood to the left of the camera, arms folded across one other. “Stop that with your hands. Relax,” he said slowly.

Keiji nodded, and he took a deep breath. _ ‘Right. Act. I need to be acting.’ _

“We’re starting!” The director started to say. “In three, two--” he mouthed the word ‘one’, and that’s when the female actor began. 

“I’m just so--” she took a deep breath and plopped down on the bed. She landed on her back, and it bounced Keiji up a little from where he sat. He glanced over at her. “I’m not sure. There’s something about her persistent consistency in her work, you know?” The girl stared up at the ceiling, and then she quickly sat up, staring at the wall in front of her. “We’re meeting up tomorrow.”

Keiji had a line to say. A simple one.

‘Where are you lovebirds meeting?’

That was all he had to say, but he couldn’t. Keiji spaced out and stared at the ground in front of him. The whole script just reminded him of him and Koutarou. Keiji would personally get that excited over photoshoots with Koutarou, and Tooru would say almost the same things while teasing him about it.

“Cut! Keiji, what are you doing?”

“Huh?” Keiji snapped out of it from the yell of the director. His head snapped up, fingers moved to fiddle with each other, and he made eye contact with the angry, red eyes. “I uh--”

“You’re supposed to be _ acting _ , and you’re spacing out on _ my _ time--”

“Hey, hey, hold on,” Tooru interrupted, stepping between Keiji and the director who was starting to take more and more steps toward Keiji as he was yelling at him. “He just needs a five. Can I get a break--five minutes with him?” The director glared but finally sighed, arms flopping down at his side in a fit of anger.

“Fine. You have five minutes.”

Tooru grabbed Keiji by the arm and pulled him off to the side of the stage. He put both his hands on the side of Keiji’s face and stared him in the eyes.

“Hey? Akaashi, what’s up with you?”

“Nothing, I--” Keiji took a deep breath, eyes staring down at the ground. “I was just thinking of the script. It’s _ really _ similar to Bokuto and I.”

Tooru smirked. “You mean you’re thinking you’re also falling for a certain photographer you met on the street by chance?” Keiji lightly shoved his shoulder which made Tooru pull his arms from his face.

“I’m not sure, Oikawa.” Keiji’s honestly really just stumps Tooru. He didn’t expect him to be so straightforward with him. “Maybe?” Tooru wanted to say something so badly, and Keiji could tell there was something on the tip of his tongue that he really wanted to get off. Though they were at work, and Tooru couldn’t exactly have Keiji spill all the tea in such a short amount of time.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Tooru said. “Game face, baby. Put it on. Time to act.” Keiji took a deep breath and nodded He returned to acting for the day. 

The scene is redone, and Keiji nails it completely. Thankfully, the director didn’t have anything else to shout about so Keiji was let off the hook. That was the only scene that Keiji had to do that day, so Tooru grabbed him after it and dragged him offset.

Tooru had him get dressed to go out since they did have something planned today. God, Keiji kind of just wanted a break. He had already done so much shit today. Photoshoot with Koutarou, what felt like ten years of acting, and now going out to dinner. Keiji was sure to complain and say how much he just wanted to go home and curl up on the couch with a book and hot chocolate or something. Though, Tooru didn’t take any of it. He just told him to be glad Tooru got them a table at a restaurant where no one would bother Keiji for being famous.

Keiji just sighed, rolled his eyes, and agreed to go along with. 

**~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~**

“Kenma, you beautiful son of a bitch,” Tooru calls out. He walks across the restaurant to the back where their table is. Kenma is sitting there playing away on his Nintendo without caring to look up from it. He just gives a simple nod to let them know he knows they’re there. Keiji sits down next to him and Tooru takes the last seat at the small, round table. “How long have you been here?”

Kenma shrugged, “Ten minutes maybe.”

“Sorry,” Keiji mumbled. He knew he was getting a glare from Tooru since it was _ his _ fault they were so late.

“It’s fine. I don’t care.”

“Kenma, put the fucking game down and have a conversation with your friends,” Tooru said leaning forward a little.

“Akaashi is my friend. You’re not.”

“Is that why you ordered him a drink and not me?” That brought Keiji’s attention to what was on the table. Sure enough, there was a glass of hot chocolate in front of Keiji, a half-empty glass of some type of pop in front of Kenma, and lastly, nothing in front of Tooru. Kenma nodded. Tooru sighed, raising an arm to try and grab the attention of a waiter. “Dickhead,” he mumbled.

Keiji felt a small smile on his lips as he picked up his own drink. “Kenma,” he started to say, “any new roles?” As he waited for a response, Keiji took a drink.

“I guess. Something with a robot.”

“You don’t know the plot?”

“I didn’t really pay attention. Yaku set me up with it.” Kenma groaned and you can hear a sound coming from his game. Keiji knew it meant he got a game over from all the other times he’s heard it. Kenma finally set down the Nintendo and looked up. “Oh, you’re still here, Oikawa. You were quiet for once, I didn’t notice.”

“Shut up, pudding hair.”

“Pudding sounds good actually.” Tooru was about to say something, but his phone that sat face up on the table caught all their attention when the phone screen lit up. “Who is ‘Hot Motherfucker’?” Kenma asked leaning over a little to read the screen. Tooru quickly snatched the phone off the table, cheeks getting slightly pink.

“No one,” he said.

“How often do you text him?” Keiji asked with a small smirk since he knew damn well who it was.

“Not that often. Shut up, Akaashi.” Tooru was mumbling now, and he was staring carefully at his screen while opening and reading the text. Fingers flew across his screen as he replied, then he clicked off the phone screen and set it face down on the table.

“Who is he?” Kenma asked again, eyes looking at Keiji this time.

“It’s some ‘hot’ dude that Oikawa and I met, and Oikawa _ drools _ every time he sees him.”

“I do not!” Tooru yelled, his face heating up which did not help his argument at all.

“You do.”

“I believe Akaashi,” Kenma interrupted.

“Of course, you believe him over me.”

“You’re a good manipulator.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“I don’t care how you take it,” Kenma said against the glass of his drink before he chugged the rest of it down. “Anyway, just date him or fuck him or whatever it is that you do.”

“Whatever,” Tooru said with his eyes rolling to the back of his head. “How much I talk to Iwaizumi is _ nothing _ compared to how much Akaashi talks to Bokuto.”

“‘Bokuto’?” Kenma asks. “Who’s that?” Before Keiji can respond, Tooru does it for him. 

“Just some guy he met on the street before a meeting to discuss a movie and ended up using that exact same way they met for the _ plot _ of the movie.”

“You did that?”

Keiji stared down at his drink. “Yes,” he said quietly.

Tooru continues, “And they have photoshoots like two to three times a week or something--”

“Not that often.”

“Pretty close to it, and not to mention that the thought of him is distracting you from your work.”

“Please shut up, Oikawa.”

“Date him,” Kenma finally says.

“Shut up. Bokuto is just a business partner.” 

_ ‘Just a business partner.’ _

**~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~**

Keiji was walking home by himself for the first time in a while. Usually, he didn’t since Tooru forced him to let him walk him home, but he got a text from Hajime to head to a bar. Obviously, Keiji told Tooru to go and have fun and that he could take care of himself, especially since it was a simple walk home and left.

He thought it would be at least.

“Woah! It’s Keiji Akaashi! 

_ ‘Shit.’ _ Keiji turned around stopping on the side of the sidewalk to watch a head of bright orange hair run toward him.

“Can I get an autograph?! A picture?! Wow, you’re so cool--” He rambles on, but he’s cut off from a voice that’s all too familiar to Keiji.

“Hinata! Shouyou! Dude!” Shouyou turns around and looks at the guy running up to him. 

_ ‘Bokuto.’ _

“Don’t go bothering the poor celebrity,” Koutarou says while resting an arm on Shouyou’s shoulder. “I’m sure he gets enough attention as it is.”

“Oh, right. Sorry, Mr. Akaashi.”

“No,” Keiji starts, “it’s fine.”

“Head home, alright? I can hear Kageyama yelling.” As if on cue, Keiji can hear someone yelling ‘dumbass’ in the distance. Shouyou nods, gives the two a bow, and runs in the direction of the yelling. 

Thank _ god _ Koutarou showed up.

“Thanks, Bokuto.”

“No problem! Anyway, what are you doing out this late?” Koutarou starts walking and Keiji follows. They both hadn’t realized it but Koutarou was subconsciously walking Keiji home. 

“Oikawa and I were out for dinner with another friend.”

“Nice! Oh, hey,” Koutarou paused as if he were hesitant to ask--which was not like him at all. “Can I come over? I’ve got something to tell you.” Keiji thought for a moment. What could be getting him so nervous? He nodded and they walked in silence.

Koutarou Bokuto. Walking in silence.

Something was definitely wrong.

They make it to the apartment complex and into the front door. Keiji, the entire time, had been messing with his fingers, picking at the skin around his nails. Koutarou being nervous just made him nervous.

“I’m gonna change real quick.” Koutarou nods and takes a seat on the couch as Keiji heads into his bedroom. He slips into a pair of black sweatpants and a white t-shirt. There’s a long look at himself in his bedroom mirror before he leaves, and he fixes his hair as if there’s something wrong with it.

When Keiji comes out, Koutarou doesn’t call out to him to say anything. Instead, Koutarou is on the couch spinning his phone in his hand while his elbows are leaned on his knees. Keiji walks over and sits next to him.

“Bokuto? You alright? Usually, you rant off a lot, but you’re quiet.”

“Am I?” Koutarou lets out this nervous chuckle. “Sorry. I just--” he takes a deep breath. “Sorry, it’ll be easier to show you.” Koutarou unlocked his phone with his thumbprint and hands Keiji the phone. It was a text screen, and he had it pulled up and ready to show Keiji.

_ “Koutarou Bokuto, as the manager of a large company that sees plenty of work in photography, yours have impressed me the best with what I’ve seen in my most recent years. I see strong potential!!! We’d like to fly you into Chicago to talk and meet with you. The entire flight and service will be free, and we’ll pay for a hotel room, lunches, and dinners. _

_ Things you’ll be doing is stuff like taking professional shoots for movies, models, posters, et cetera. Please consider, Koutarou. We look forward to working with you!” _

Keiji’s heart dropped as he read it. 

_ ‘Bokuto got an offer from Chicago. Bokuto got an offer from Chicago.’ _

“I wanted you to be the first to know,” Koutarou said which snapped Keiji from his personal mind panic.

“Not someone closer like Iwaizumi or Kuroo?” Keiji asked. It was easy for Keiji to act (obviously) like he wasn’t completely freaking out and was crushed by this. 

Koutarou shrugged, “I think we’re pretty close--maybe closer--I don’t know.” Koutarou spoke quickly and nervously. “I think I’m gonna take it though. Really, though, I thought you should know first because we’re close and all and we work together. You’re set free now! You don’t have to work for me anymore!” Koutarou had a smile on his face as if Keiji had been begging to be set free from Koutarou’s grasp but he just couldn’t afford to let him go. His face was bright as if now that he let him go, he was happy to see he could finally give Keiji his wish for freedom.

But it wasn’t like that at all. Keiji didn’t _ want _ to be let go.

“Yeah,” Keiji whispered under his breath. His eyes looked over at the window. “It’s late. I’m gonna get blankets. You can stay over.” Keiji got up quickly and started to head toward his bedroom. Why was he so keen to leave Koutarou? Maybe he didn’t want him seeing how disappointed he was.

“Thanks, ‘Kaashi!”

Keiji got into his room and hit his back against the door, sliding down it.

_ ‘Bokuto got an offer from Chicago.’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this one is coming to an end soon. Two more chapters.
> 
> With that, I want to know which Bokuaka you want to see next.
> 
> I have one where it's an assassin AU one where Akaashi dresses up like a chick and Bokuto, most of the fic, is under the impression Akaashi is a chick. Akaashi is just too scared at this point to tell him he's really a dude, therefore, I have plot and drama in my fic.
> 
> Other one is an apocalypse AU which is exactly what it sounds like.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Iwaoi food for you all.
> 
> Iwaoi and Bokuaka dinner for one last time since Koutarous leaving. What will become of it?

###  **Chap. 11 **

**February 1st, 2020**

“Hey, Akaashi, what’s up with you?” Keiji lets out a small groan as he rolls his neck, eyes looking over at Tooru who is sitting in a chair next to him. They’re on set again, waiting until Keiji is needed in the scene.

“Nothing.”

“It’s clearly something. Did Bokuto break up with you?” Tooru teased. “It’s gonna make our dinner awkward.”

“No, shut up,” Keiji mumbled. Tooru and Keiji had a dinner reservation at a fancy-ass restaurant, and Hajime was joining them since he was able to get a break from Koushi apparently.

“As your manager, you _ have _ to spill the beans because at this point,” Tooru leaned over a little, finger flicking some loose strands of hair that fell over Keiji’s face, “it’s affecting your work, and I just can’t have that, Akaashi.” Keiji flicked his wrist to push away Tooru and to get him to leave him alone. Tooru let out this huff in defeat as he pulled away. He had hours to get whatever it was out of him anyhow.

They were able to get away from work with almost about two hours to get ready. Keiji sat on the bottom of Tooru’s bed with his legs pulled up on the bed, legs cross crossed. He stared down at his lap while fiddling with his fingers. Tooru sat at his desk, chugging down a glass of (surprisingly) water.

Tooru looks over at him with a sigh. “Alright,” he began, “tell me now.”

“Tell you what?”

“Don’t play dumb or I’ll punch you in the throat.”

Keiji sighed. He didn’t look up to make eye contact with Tooru. “Bokuto. He got—“ Keiji took a deep breath. “He got this job offer in Chicago.”

“So, you’re upset because?”

“He’s taking it,” Keiji whispered and pulled his knees up to his chest, hugging them. He felt his face getting warmer and warmer the more he talked. His cheeks filled with embarrassment now that he was admitting it. “I know I should be happy for him, but I can’t help but feel sad.”

“You’ve been all sad because Bokuto is leaving for Chicago—when?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Well,” Tooru stood from his chair and headed to the closet now deciding to get ready, “I guess you gotta confess your love before tomorrow.”

“What?”

“You know? Like,” Tooru stood on his chair. He wobbled a little as he tried to get his balance on the fucking chair with _ wheels _ on it. Once he had his balance, Tooru put a hand to his heart and one up to the sky. “‘O Romeo! Thou cannot live without you! For doth love too strong!”

“You are an idiot.”

Tooru jumped down, “You guys are like Romeo and Juliet.” He walked over to the closet and started going through it for an outfit. 

“I’m not gonna drink potion of poison if I can’t be with Bokuto.”

“We don’t know that.” Keiji glared at Tooru. “Listen, you _ need _ to confess.”

“When did we even start agreeing I liked him?” Keiji whispered under his breath. 

“When you get flustered every time you talk about him.”

“You get flustered whenever we talk about Iwaizumi.”

“But the difference is,” Tooru pulled an outfit from the closet and looked it up and down, “I, unlike you, will admit that he is a hot ass motherfucker and that I like him.” Keiji sighed. “Here. Wear this.” He stood up and grabbed the hanger hook from Tooru, then he headed into the bathroom he always changed in.

It was something simple that Keiji was glad Tooru had in his closet. A pair of jeans that were rolled up a little at the bottom. There was a white short sleeve tucked into his jeans, and on top of that, he wore a black winter designer jacket that had some fluff lining the hoodie. Tooru was a different story when it came to getting dressed; Keiji never stood out, Tooru seemed to shine as the center of attention. He wore a white t-shirt with a bright, light blue cardigan-jacket over it. Keiji wasn’t sure what it was but it had pockets. He added it with a pair of white jeans. 

“You look hot,” Tooru said when Keiji stepped out of the bathroom. 

“Shut up.”

“Rude.” Tooru turned and looked in the mirror. He began to fix his hair. “Anyway, Iwaizumi texted me that they’re here. Let’s go.”

The two head out the front door of Tooru's and are met with Hajime and Koutarou. Koutarou is sitting on the trunk of Hajime’s car while swinging his feet like a child while telling Hajime this wack ass story. Hajime is leaned against the door with his arms crossed, head tilted to look up at the sky. 

Koutarou wore a pair of black jeans paired with a yellow shirt. Over that was a jacket. One of those jackets that if you quickly scratch your fingernails on, it makes that almost zipper noise. Hajime had on a pair of black jeans as well with a black long sleeve which didn’t matter since he decided to roll them up to his elbows. 

Tooru stared, of course.

“Dude, his fucking forearms ” Tooru said as they walked down the steps of Tooru’s house. When the front door closed, Koutarou and Hajime looked over. Koutarou quickly looked over Tooru. They scanned his outfit real quick then averted their way over to Keiji. His eyes went significantly slower. Keiji buried his hands in his pocket, moving together the two parts of the jacket to cover his face a little. Tooru cleared his throat, and Keiji was proud of Tooru that he could pull himself from the stare at Hajime. 

“We’re gonna be late for our reservation," Tooru spoke up. Hajime opened the passenger door, and Tooru melted. “I hope he hits me with that car door,” he whispered to Keiji.

“Shut up, and get in the car, Oikawa.”

They ride in silence only because no one knew what to say. Keiji was sure Tooru wanted to tell Hajime he looked hot as fuck but he couldn’t muster up the courage to do it. He himself wanted to tell Koutarou he looked attractive but he couldn’t pull himself to do it either. 

_ ‘How would I even word that?’ _

As they walked into the restaurant, Keiji grabbed into Koutarou’s arm just so he wouldn’t get lost. Keiji made sure to bury his face literally into Koutarou’s shoulder as they talked to the hostess to be led to their table. He really wasn’t in the mood to be surrounded by some fans. Thankfully, they made it to the private, back reserved table where it was out of the public eye. Tooru really was amazing when it came to organizing. They sat at a circle table, and of course, Keiji sat between Koutarou and Tooru with Hajime across from him. 

“Nice seats, dude!” Koutarou said while giving Tooru a light punch in the arm.

Tooru chuckled. “Well, when we have the celebrity with us, it’s a given we have to get some hidden seats to hide away from all of that.”

“Sometimes I forget Akaashi is a celebrity,” Koutarou said, and for some reason, that made Keiji smile. “Ooh, ooh, Akaashi, what movie are you working on now? I mean, like, you’re always busy working on set. What’s the movie about?”

“I’m interested too,” Hajime spoke up. Tooru and Keiji exchanged a look. How the hell would he explain this? Koutarou was not a man with poor memory—the large number of stories he had rattling around his brain told them that. 

“Well, uh,” Keiji stutterers.

_ ‘Oikawa, help me.’ _

“Lesbian rom-com is all we can say,” Tooru said. “I am more interested in this job offer you’ve received, Bokuto.” Tooru leaned forward a little. 

“Oh!” Koutarou chuckled. “Even though I’m leaving tomorrow, I forgot all about that.” Keiji’s hand gripped onto his seat. “I’ve never got an offer like this before! I used to just travel on Kuroo’s dime the whole time—which, I mean, he doesn’t care but it can be annoying when you share a one-bathroom apartment with a lazy ass cat.”

“Try rooming with a maniac,” Hajime mumbled under his breath. Keiji could only guess he was referring to Koushi.

Koutarou laughed, “True. It could be a _ lot _ worse. I’m excited though!” Keiji watched the excitement flame in his eyes. It slowly died though, and he stared down at the table in front of him for a few moments in silence.

“Bokuto?” Keiji asked while reaching over and placing a hand on his shoulder to snap him out of his random trance.

“Excited!” Koutarou repeated. “I’m excited about it. Really, I am.” Keiji and Koutarou were sitting close, and he could feel Koutarou’s leg bouncing. He knew it anywhere. Koutarou was nervous. Every now and then, the bouncing leg would rub against his, and Keiji would feel this jolt through him every time.

“It really is a good opportunity. I never suspected Bokuto to be recognized out of all people, but you are kind of loud though,” Hajime said.

_ ‘It’s a good opportunity. I can’t ruin this for Bokuto just because I want to be with him. Don’t be selfish.’ _

“That’s mean!” Koutarou whined just as the server came over to order their things. 

Everyone knew what they were getting, so they ordered their food with their drinks. The waiter came back with their drinks in only a manner of seconds, not even giving them enough time to start up a new conversation. Finally, though, they were able to. They talked about some embarrassing stories that Tooru would try to bring up of Keiji like how he played setter in High School for volleyball and how they would compete. By the end, they just ran a two setter play and whichever setter was best for the play, they were able to communicate without words to know who would be the setter. 

“Oh, volleyball!” Koutarou said while picking up his fork. “I played that! Loved it too.” He pointed to Hajime with his silverware. “He played it too.”

“Really?” Keiji asked.

Koutarou nodded, “Yeah! Hey, maybe do you think you could set for me someday?”

_ ‘Someday.’ _Keiji nodded._‘When? You’re leaving.’_

They continued to talk about things--Tooru bringing up random embarrassing moments for Keiji. Koutarou would lean closer to Keiji asking things like, ‘You really did that?’ and ‘Aw, I wish I could’ve seen it.’ Keiji would just tell him to shut up or something like that while his face grew a million shades lighter in color. 

Hajime's phone started ringing, and he apologized as he turned away from the table to answer it.

“You’re kidding? No. No, yeah, I’m on my way.” Hajime turned back around with a sigh as he slipped the phone in his pocket. He stood up with a disappointed expression on his face. “I’ve got to leave.”

“What?” Tooru asked.

“You need a ride home, right, Oikawa?” Hajime asked while tossing his jacket over his shoulder. When Tooru saw that, he felt this jolt up his spine.

_ ‘Fuck. That was really hot,’ _was all that Tooru thought.

“Y-yeah,” Tooru stuttered. 

“Bokuto, I assume you’ll walk Akaashi home. He lives close by.” Koutarou nodded. “Great. Come on, Oikawa.”

**~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~**

The car ride was silent for a little bit, and Tooru _ hated _it. He needed to man up and say something.

“So,” he started, “this ‘Sugawara’. Is he at least fun to bodyguard?”

Hajime chuckled, “Yeah, he’s a bit of a challenge but,” he leaned his elbow on the door, face leaned into his hand as he kept his eyes on the road, “he is pretty damn interesting.” Hajime took a quick glance over at Tooru. He noticed how he was frequently pushing a strand of hair behind his ear, and Hajime smiled at it. “You pretty much bodyguard Akaashi. Is that fun?”

“Akaashi is—“ Tooru took a deep breath. “One of a kind. He can be really super shy at times and other times he can completely roast you. Though, do I regret working for him—with him? Not at all. He’s not just my client anymore. He’s my friend.”

“Cute.”

“Shut up,” Tooru mumbled while feeling the heat rise in his face. 

When they got to Tooru’s, Hajime got out of the car with Tooru and walked him to his doorstep. He stopped in front of him, one hand hanging onto the hook of his jeans while the other slid in his own back pocket. 

“Oikawa,” he asked.

“Mhm?”

“I’m not gonna lie, I find it undeniably adorable when you get all flustered when I do something simple.”

“Well, you’re incredibly fucking hot,” Tooru whispered under his breath. 

“And,” Hajime started to say as he reached over and lifted Oikawa’s chin. He tilted it to look at him. Oh, my god was Tooru’s heart racing. He really just wanted Hajime to fucking kiss him right there.

_ ‘Even his finger is soft. Fucking kill me.’ _

Though, Tooru _ really _ liked Hajime, and not just because he was hot and successful. So, Tooru shook his head and pulled away.

“As a manager, I’m pretty good at reading people,” Tooru started. “Especially since I’m Akaashi’s manager. That kid is hard to read.” Tooru let out a sigh, and he was completely aware of the redness of his face. “I don’t want to rush this,” Tooru mumbled quietly. This time, Tooru was the one to reach out. He dragged his fingers along the side of Hajime’s face—damn, was it soft—and held his cheek. His finger couldn’t help but slowly brush back and forth on the tanned, soft skin, the thumb almost touching his lips. Tooru reached over, finger’s slightly tilted Hajime’s head, and he placed a small, soft kiss to Hajime’s other cheek. He slowly pulled away, a smile coming on his face. Tooru reached toward the door and turned the handle.

“Night, Iwa.”

“Night.”

**~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~**

Koutarou and Keiji walked in the street once again. Of course, it was dark and cold as they walked. It made Keiji sad. He would really miss this even though he hated the cold. Koutarou was his only reason for ever being out that late. 

“Hey, ‘Kaashi?” Keiji looks over at Koutarou who stopped walking to pull his phone from his back pocket. “One last photoshoot?” Keiji nodded. Koutarou reached in his pocket again and pulled out a medical mask. He was prepared for this. Koutarou was so ready for this ‘one last photoshoot’.

God, those words broke Keiji’s heart.

“This place look familiar?” Koutarou asked.

Keiji looked around. “I guess?” 

“It’s where we met.” There was a smile that hit Koutarou’s face. “Let’s recreate it!” 

They were going to end it where it all started. Just like that.

Koutarou went to walk where he was standing when he first snapped the picture. As he positioned himself in the spot, Keiji slipped on the mask while staying there. He was a little confused though. When Koutarou took a picture, it was based on genuineness. Keiji couldn’t just act something out like he had his entire life. That wasn’t Koutarou’s style. Keiji decided to ask about it—which is probably when Koutarou would decide to take the picture. 

“Bokuto—“ Keiji cut himself off, and it was probably the first time he was interrupted without it being from the snap of a camera. “Bokuto, are you crying?” From over the phone screen, Keiji could see the glimmer. A tear rolled down his cheek, hitting the cement. 

“No,” Koutarou said through a shaky breath as he reached up and wiped his face. “No, I’m not crying.” Keiji walked over, and as he did, he pulled the medical mask down off his face and pushed the hoodie off his head. He knew his hair was all fucked up, but he could care less. Keiji pushed down Koutarou’s arms since one stayed at his face, hiding it, and the other one still held up the camera. Once they were pushed down, Koutarou’s arms at his side, Keiji reached over once more and held Koutarou’s cheeks in his hands, swiping his thumbs on the cold, wet skin of his cheeks. 

“Bokuto..?” Keiji could see the cloud of transparent carbon as he breathed out. His fingers were cold being exposed in the temperature this low, but again, Keiji didn’t really care.

“I don’t wanna leave.”

“Huh? I thought you did?”

“Well,” Koutarou sniffled, “the opportunity is great and all, but the things I’m living behind here.” He shook his head quickly. “It’s not worth it.”

“‘Leaving behind’? Bokuto, what are you leaving behind? You’re not making any sense.” Koutarou was quiet. His eyes refused to make eye contact with Keiji, eyes pointed toward the ground. 

“You,” he finally said. “Akaashi, I don’t want to leave you. I knew we had this spark, but I accepted that it was also a lost cause I mean you are a celebrity after all—“ Keiji had no other way to shut off Koutarou’s rambling other than slapping a hand over his mouth. That’s when Koutarou finally looked Keiji back in the eyes.

“You think I’m too good for you?” Keiji asked as he pulled his hand from his mouth, moving it back to his cheek. It was like Keiji was holding Koutarou up by his cheeks with the way his shoulders were postured all slumped down. 

“Well, yeah,” Koutarou mumbled.

Keiji scoffed, “What a load of bullshit.”

“Huh?”

“If you leave me for that reason, I’ll kick your ass, Bokuto.”

“Akaashi?” Keiji just wrapped his arms around Koutarou’s neck, and he buried his face into his shoulder. The burning feeling in his face—he didn’t care. 

“I’m _ madly _ in love with you and you think I’m ‘took good for you’.” Even though Keiji was quietly talking muffled into his shoulder, Koutarou could still hear it. He pulled away, and this time, Koutarou’s held Keiji’s cheeks. It warmed Keiji’s face up the rest of the way.

“Akaashi, can I kiss you?”

Keiji smiled, and a laugh slipped out though he didn’t attempt to cover it with his hand or put his face in his shoulder. “Yes.” Koutarou smiled and leaned forward. His lips set pressed against Keiji’s. Even his lips were warm. Keiji started to smile even more. Koutarou seemed...shy? Hesitant? He moved his arms around Koutarou’s neck again. That gave Koutarou the confidence in the kiss. He moved his arms to wrap them around Keiji’s waist and deepened the kiss. Keiji has _ never _ really kissed someone for real before. It was always an act. Though the feeling of a real kiss? Keiji loved it, but it didn’t last long. Koutarou pulled his face away and stared at Keiji.

Quickly, he pulled his phone out of his pocket backed up slightly, and—

_ Click. _

“Bokuto?”

“I just wanted a picture right after you’re mine,” Koutarou said while looking down at the picture. 

“Shut up. Let’s go.” Keiji started walking again, and Koutarou followed with him. 

“Hey, ‘Kaashi?” Koutarou asked while keeping up a pace beside him. “Can I hold your hand?” Keiji nodded. It’s not like they _ hadn’t _held hands before. Koutarou’s fingers slipped through Keiji’s. “So cold,” he whispered. “You’re really cold.”

“You’re really warm.”

“Then that’s perfect!” Koutarou exclaimed. “I can keep you warm.”

Keiji’s face heated up. “Shut up, Bokuto.”

Yeah, Koutarou could definitely keep him warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IWAOI SLOWBURN AHA
> 
> Also, I originally had it in the story saying Akaashi was the smallest and then I fucking remembered that IWAIZUMI IS THE SHORTEST MOTHERFUCKER
> 
> This is going off of memory but I think It's Bokuto (6'1), Oikawa (6'0), Akaashi (5'11), Iwaizumi (5'10)
> 
> Fun fact: I'm Iwaizumi's height


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter! Tooru and Keiji have a little chat.
> 
> And we end this one with some Koutarou and Keiji fluff!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little babie chapter to end this part off <3

###  **Chap. 12 **

**February 2nd, 2020 **

“Wait, what happened?” Keiji repeated himself. Tooru paced back his bedroom back and forth. His arms would swing in front of him clap, swing to the back of him, clap, repeat. 

“He walked me to my door, and he tilted my chin and oh, my god it was so romantic, and then I think he was about to kiss me, but then I pulled away, and I kissed his cheek, and I said goodnight, and I left, and then--” Tooru paused when he looked at Keiji. “Stop making that face.”

“You’re in love,” Keiji replied with a soft smile as he flipped through some pages he was reading for his script.

“Shut up! I really do like him so sue me.” With a sigh, Tooru plopped down in his desk chair. He spun in it a few times before looking at Keiji. “What about _ you _? How was your walk home with Bokuto?” Yes. Keiji didn’t tell Tooru about what happened with Koutarou and how he confessed. He didn’t tell him about the kiss or about how they were--yes--dating. 

“Normal,” Keiji lied with a shrug.

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not lying.”

“You’re lying. Something else happened.” Tooru stood up and stood over Keiji who leaned back. “Spill.”

“I’m an actor. How do you know if I’m lying or not?”

“Because I’ve been your manager for going on three years now. I can see past this whole--” Tooru waved a finger around in Keiji’s face. “Facade you’ve got going on.” Keiji stayed silent. “Did you guys hold hands?” Keiji kept the color in his face. “Hug?” Still. “_ Kiss? _ ” _ That’s _ what broke Keiji. His face slowly heated up only slightly, but Tooru was still able to see it. He gasped and stepped back, a hand moving over his mouth. “Oh, my god. You guys kissed.”

“No, we didn’t.” Keiji looked down, fingers tripped over each other. 

“Fucking liar! Oh, my god!”

“Shut up, Oikawa.”

“You guys are dating now, right? You’re a thing. You _ have _ to be a thing.” Keiji got up and started to make his way out of the room. “KEIJI,” Tooru yelled after him. “Come on! Why won’t you talk to me about it?”

“Because it’s embarrassing.” 

“I just ran off about how I had this middle schooler moment with Iwa. I was freaking out about a _ cheek kiss _ .” Keiji didn’t respond. He just made his way back to where he was sitting on the bed and picked up the paper he threw down. “You don’t have to tell me _ all _ the details.”

Keiji sighed, and he fell back on the bed, face pushing into the pillow to muffle his voice. “He asked to take ‘one last photoshoot’, so obviously I agreed, but before he could even take the picture, Bokuto suddenly started crying.” Keiji took his face out from the pillow and sat up. He grabbed the pillow and began hugging it. “I asked him why, and he said he didn’t want to leave New York.” Keiji paused hugging the pillow tighter as he stared down at the sheets. “That he didn’t want to leave me.”

Tooru squealed a little, and Keiji glared at him. “Sorry. Keep going.” 

“I just--” Keiji took a deep breath. “Confessed.”

“Then what? Oh, my god, my god, my god--Sorry.”

Keiji ignored it and rolled his eyes. “He just--he asked if he could kiss me and I--” Keiji got quieter, “and I said yes.”

“THAT,” Tooru said, “is a prime-dime, million-dollar movie right there.”

“Shut it, would you?”

“Can we use that for the ending of the movie? Oh, my--” Tooru hopped in his chair and spun to the desk.

“What?! No, absolutely not.” Keiji hopped from his spot on the bed, throwing down the pillow. He set his hands on Tooru’s shoulder to try and stop him from writing it down or something. “I’m sure Bokuto wants to _ watch _ the movie, and it’s already going to be painfully obvious I ripped it off of how we fucking met.”

“Fine. We’ll come up with something else then.”

“Good.”

**~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~~❇~**

“You’re really in _ all _ of these movies?”

“Yes.”

“Holy shit,” Koutarou whispered. He was sitting on the carpet in the living room while looking through the stacks of movies that sat in a box in Keiji’s apartment. “I don’t really watch movies often.”

“Huh.”

“What?”

“Nothing, I just--” Keiji sat on the couch, feet tucked in and curled into the corner of it with a blanket on his lap, a cup of hot chocolate in his hands. “You seem like the type to watch movies, you know? With the cameras and all.”

“Not much for motion,” Koutarou said while springing up to his feet. He walked over and put an arm on the armrest Keiji sat against, leaning down just a little. “Too much to look at in a small amount of time.” As he said it, his voice got quieter, and Koutarou leaned down even further, his lips drawing closer to Keiji’s.

“Kiss me or go away.” Koutarou grinned and closed the gap, lips pressing against Keiji’s. With his free hand that wasn’t holding the hot drink in his lap, Keiji reached up and held Koutarou’s cheek. The tips of his fingers grazed against Koutarou’s hair which was started to fall. Small strands of the mixed white and black hair fell over his face. 

“You use hair gel?” Keiji asked. Koutarou hummed and plopped down on the couch next to Keiji. He was sure to land softly though in order not to make Keiji spill his drink. Koutarou stretched and put his arm around Keiji who leaned into it. 

“Yup, and I use a _ lot _ of it.” Koutarou reached up and touched his hair causing some of it to fall down. “Doesn’t last all day though since Kuroo refuses to buy me the expensive stuff.”

“I can buy you it,” Keiji mumbled while bringing the cup to his lips slowly sipping on it. 

“I can’t let you do that, ‘Kaashi,” Koutarou said while pressing his face to the side of Keiji’s. His face buried into his neck. 

“Money has never really been an issue for me, Bokuto.”

“But I can’t have you buying everything for me.” Koutarou made eye contact with Keiji. “Then I’d feel guilty.” Keiji smiled and sat up, reaching over to the coffee table to set down his drink. Once he did, he leaned back into Koutarou and set his head so it rested against Koutarou’s shoulder.

“I don’t mind.” Keiji yawned and closed his eyes, snuggling closer if he could. “You can turn on the T.V.”

“But are you gonna sleep? I don’t wanna keep you up. You’ve got work tomorrow.” 

Keiji reached up, putting a small, quick kiss to Koutarou’s lips. “I’ll be alright.” Koutarou nodded with a smile and turned on the T.V., and Keiji put his head back down, leaning it against Koutarou’s chest.

_ ‘With Bokuto, I’ll definitely be alright.’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments and kudos! I love you all <3 <3 <3
> 
> UPDATE: BOOK TWO IS OUT, BROS 
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/22593859/chapters/53994748


End file.
